RLCS 2026 Paris Major: Teams, Format and Schedule
RLCS 2026 Paris Major runs May 20-24 at Paris La Défense Arena with 16 teams, a GSL group stage, best-of-seven playoffs and a $354,000 prize pool.
The RLCS 2026 Paris Major runs May 20-24 at Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, France. Sixteen teams will compete for a $354,000 prize pool and RLCS Circuit Ranking Points that count toward qualification for the season-ending World Championship.
The tournament begins with a GSL-style double-elimination group stage: four groups of four teams. All group matches are best-of-five. Group winners advance to the upper bracket of the Playoffs; second- and third-placed teams move to the lower bracket. The fourth-placed team in each group is eliminated.
The Playoffs use a hybrid elimination bracket with every series played as best-of-seven. The Group Stage is scheduled for May 20-21 and the Playoffs for May 22-24. Fans will be allowed into the arena for the Playoffs.
Paris La Défense Arena can be configured for between 15,000 and 40,000 spectators. Event staff will adjust venue layout and production setups based on attendance and broadcast needs.
Teams represent Europe (five slots), North America (four), South America (two), the Middle East and North Africa (two) and one slot each for Oceania, Asia-Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa. The field includes Team Vitality, Gentle Mates, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Karmine Corp, Man City Esports, NRG Esports, Spacestation Gaming, Shopify Rebellion, FUT Esports, MIBR, FURIA Esports, Twisted Minds, R8 Esports, Wildcard, TSM and Five Fears.
The total prize pool is $354,000. The champion will receive $102,000 and the runner-up $51,000. Teams will earn RLCS Circuit Ranking Points that contribute to selection for the RLCS 2026 World Championship, which will feature the season’s top 20 teams.
Official broadcasts will stream in multiple languages with localized studio channels for French, Hispanic and Brazilian-Portuguese audiences alongside the main English feed. Community creators and influencers are expected to host watch parties and co-streams during the event.
The RLCS 2026 Boston Major recorded a peak of 624,316 live viewers earlier in the season. Organizers expanded an in-viewer reward program to encourage sustained viewing. Several regional qualifiers registered lower viewership figures than the Boston Major.
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