Разработчики Overwatch 2 опубликовали пару заметок, в которой поделились планами на киберспортивные мероприятия по игре в 2026 г.
Overwatch Esports 2026 AnnouncementIntroductionWhen we launched OWCS, our goal was to build an open ecosystem where any player or fan could step up, compete, and be crowned a champion. In 2025, we streamlined qualification through our partnership with FACEIT, expanded the program into China, and welcomed nine outstanding Partner Teams. The growth we’ve seen across 2025 has been a major milestone, and it sets the stage for an even bigger and bolder 2026 Overwatch Esports. Let's get into it.
Overwatch Esports 20262026 is stacked with Esports programming. We’re heading into a full year of Overwatch Esports, spanning multiple programs around the world. Expect more ways to watch, cheer, and jump in to play yourself. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or a first time competitor this year will get you hyped for Overwatch and our Esports competitions.
The OWCS 2026 season will run alongside the Overwatch World Cup, delivering top-tier global competition for fans everywhere. Overwatch NA Collegiate is bringing the thunder, so get ready to make some noise. FACEIT League continues as the pathway into OWCS, and we’re leveling up player development with even more on the way, including our first-ever official OWCS Pre-Season Bootcamp.
Keep reading for a quick overview of every program;
OWCS 2026The OWCS 2025 season has been a breakout year, defined by unforgettable performances across every region. From North America’s NTMR stunning Crazy Raccoons at Champions Clash, to the showdown between Twisted Minds and Al Qadsiah pushing EMEA into the Midseason Championship Grand Finals; this year has delivered on every stage. In the end, each contender’s run met the same wall, two OWCS Korea powerhouses standing at the top at each live event.
As we head into DreamHack Stockholm and prepare to crown a new World Finals champion, we’re ready to reveal what’s coming next for OWCS.
The OWCS 2026 season will commence with regional stages across China, North America, EMEA, and Asia. Each stage will crown its top teams, who will then qualify for a global Live Event to compete for glory, their piece of the crowdfunded prizepol, and the title of OWCS Champions.
We’ll be revealing the new season format soon, so stay tuned to Overwatch socials to catch all the exciting details on the way.
The OWCS Partner Program returns in 2026, bigger than ever. This upcoming year, we’re expanding from nine teams to eleven, and on top of that we will be adding OWCS China Teams to the official Partner Program. While we’re not quite ready to reveal the full slate today, we’re excited to share this growth and can’t wait to welcome all 2026 Partner Teams!
Full details on everything 2026, will be shared later on each OWCS Regional Channel for NA, EMEA, Asia, and China.
OWCS PRE-SEASON BOOTCAMPWe are proud to introduce the newest addition to the 2026 Overwatch Esports ecosystem: the OWCS Pre-Season Bootcamp. This invite-only program will take place in Seoul, Korea this February, gathering OWCS Partner Teams for an intense week of preparation and training for the Season.
Teams will receive exclusive early access to the upcoming competitive build, engage in daily scrims, and collaborate directly with fellow teams and coaches from the broader Overwatch competitive community in Korea.
More details will be announced soon across Overwatch Esports channels.
OWWC 20262026 marks the return of the Overwatch World Cup. This year players and fans will have even more opportunities to showcase their skills and represent their home with pride.
The program will feature a familiar format including Qualifiers, Group Stage, and Finals with the addition of Pre-Qualifier Conference Cups in each Conference, AMER, EMEA, ASIA. Competition will be fierce and teams will all vie for a spot in the Top 8 teams at BlizzCon 2026.
You can find the OWWC 2026 roadmap below. To learn more head over to our
Overwatch World Cup 2026 Blog or watch the Overwatch World Cup Announcement segment from OWCS World Finals for more details on how to participate.
If you're interested in representing your home, our Committee Applications are now open! Head to the
blog to learn how to apply today!
COLLEGIATEAfter a thrilling Fall Collegiate Homecoming season and growing competitive landscape, the Spring 2026 Collegiate Championship season is already shaping up to be one of the biggest yet.
The Spring 2026 Championship season will follow a familiar structure as Fall, with teams competing across weekly matches in both Open and Varsity divisions. Returning powerhouses, new teams, and rosters rebuilt during the winter offseason all mean players and fans are in for an intense competitive field that’s hungry to challenge the status quo.
The excitement builds towards April, where the Season Finals will culminate at a live, in-person event. Exact location will be revealed soon, but teams and fans can start marking their calendars for April 23 - 26.
Eligible schools can register for both Open and Varsity competition
Eligible teams are encouraged to
sign up and participate in both Open and Varsity competition. We’ve tailored the schedule to allow ambitious schools to participate without conflict. Excited to learn more about what’s in store? See format and schedule details below.
National OpenThe National Open Championship Season has multiple tournament stages. Teams will have the opportunity to compete their way through the Main Season Swiss over 3 weeks, preparing their strategies for the collegiate ‘Superweekend’ where they will enter a gauntlet of 6 Swiss matches to determine post-season seeding. The top 32 teams will advance to the Championship ‘Knockouts’, where they will be pitted against one another in a high-stakes single elimination bracket seeded by their Swiss performance. The 8 teams that make it through the Knockouts will then compete in a Double Elimination Bracket ‘Playoffs’ to determine which teams will be invited to the live event Finals in April.
The National Open Championship Season starts February 19, 2026 and eligible student teams can
register now through February 12, 2026.
National Open Collegiate Championship Season Details
- Registration
- Opens Saturday November 29, 2025 and ends Thursday February 12, 2026
- Sign up here to register for the National Open Championship Season
- To participate in the tournament, all players must create an account with LeagueSpot with their verified student email address.
- If your school’s student email address domain is not yet verified on LeagueSpot, please fill out this form.
- Competition Format & Schedule
- Open registration
- Multi-Stage tournament
- ‘Main Season’: Open Swiss, 3 rounds of Swiss Play over 3 weeks
- February 19 - March 5, 2026. Weekly default match day: Thursday
- ‘Superweekend’: Open Swiss, 6 rounds of Swiss Play over 1 weekend
- Saturday March 7 & Sunday March 8, 2026
- ‘Knockout’: 32 team, 2 round Single-Elimination bracket over 1 day
- ‘Playoffs’: 8 team, Double-Elimination bracket over 2 days
- Saturday March 14 - Sunday March 15, 2026
- ‘Championship Finals Live Event’
- Prizing
Varsity PremierThe Championship Varsity Premier Season has several stages. Teams will have the opportunity to compete their way through assigned Regional Groups or Self-Select Conferences over 7 weeks of regular season Round Robin play. The top 32 teams from the Groups stage will advance to the Championship Varsity Premier Playoffs, where they will be pitted against one another in a high-stakes single elimination bracket seeded by the NACE Seeding Committee based on Groups performance. Top teams will be invited to participate in the live event Finals in April.
The Championship Varsity Premier Season starts Monday February 2, and NACE Member schools can register right now.
Championship Varsity Premier Season Details
- Registration
- Opens to NACE Member Schools on Saturday November 9 2025 and ends Monday January 26, 2026
- To participate in the tournament, the school must be a NACE member and all players must create an account with LeagueSpot with their verified student email address.
- If your school’s student email address domain is not yet verified on LeagueSpot, please fill out this form.
- Interested in joining NACE & competing in NACE Overwatch Varsity? Have a staff member from your school fill out the following contact form.
- Format & Schedule
- Multi-Stage tournament
- ‘Regular Season’: Regional / Conference Groups, Up to 7 rounds of Round Robin play over 7 weeks
- February 2 - March 16, 2026. Weekly default match day: Monday
- ‘Playoffs’: 32 team, Single-Elimination bracket over 2 weeks
- Monday March 30, 2026, Thursday April 2, 2026
- ‘Championship Finals Live Event’
- Prizing
Stay tuned for more COL updates and prepare for an unforgettable march towards the April live Finals.
Thank YouThe passion you bring to Overwatch and Overwatch Esports is at the heart of everything we do. Your energy and commitment are the reason we can look ahead to an incredible 2026. We’ll have more details to share on when and where to watch as we get closer to the start of the new year. See you in January!
[Источник] Overwatch World Cup 2026Initiate World Cup Protocol"Never accept the world as it appears to be, dare to see it for what it could be." Dr. Harold Winston
In celebration of 10 years of Overwatch Esports, the Overwatch World Cup (OWWC) returns to the Anaheim Convention Center Arena at BlizzCon 2026. Since 2016, the OWWC has united heroes from around the world to crown a global champion. Will new legends rise, or will the reigning champions hold their ground? See how the road to Anaheim unfolds and meet your 2026 competing teams!
Overwatch World Cup 2026 TeamsIn 2026, 30 teams will compete in the OWWC: 19 invited teams and 11 wildcard teams. Invited teams were selected from the top 16 teams in 2023 and the 3 top performing teams in EMEA. The 11 wildcard teams will earn their place via Conference Cups, a new part of World Cup in 2026. It’s time to ready up, represent your team, and make history as the best OWWC team. Being part of the OWWC isn’t just about competing on the big stage, it’s about embracing the competitive spirit of the program and uplifting your fellow players. Even if your country/region doesn’t end up being part of the 30 selected, you will have the opportunity to participate in the program - read on to find out how!
Competing Teams (Online Qualifier groupings announced later)
AMER
- Brazil
- Canada
- Colombia
- Mexico
- United Statesli
- AMER Wildcard #1
- AMER Wildcard #2
- AMER Wildcard #3
EMEA
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Great Britain
- Norway
- Saudi Arabiali
- Spain
- Sweden
- EMEA Wildcard #1
- EMEA Wildcard #2
- EMEA Wildcard #3
- EMEA Wildcard #4
- EMEA Wildcard #5
ASIA
- Australia
- China
- Hong Kong
- Japan
- South Koreali
- Thailand
- ASIA Wildcard #1
- ASIA Wildcard #2
- ASIA Wildcard #3
Past Champions (by year & total titles)
- South Korea — 2016, 2017, 2018 (3)
- United States — 2019 (1)
- Saudi Arabia — 2023 (1)
2026 Overwatch World Cup Summary Timeline
November 29, 2025 —
Applications Now Open for all competition committees (invited teams and potential wildcard teams) and roles (General Manager, Coach, Social Lead).
February to March 2026 — Team Tryouts will run from February to March with Conference Cups for wildcard teams taking place in March.
- Wildcard Teams Rosters: Once selected, wildcard team Committees will need to provide a roster to compete in their respective Conference Cups. These rosters will only be valid for the Conference Cup tournament, and teams advancing to the summer’s Online Qualifiers will be able to update their rosters prior to then.
- Invited Team Rosters: Teams are required to lock in their rosters by April.
Competition OverviewConference Cups (Open Format - March 2026)
Approved wildcard competition committees will compete to earn one of the remaining spots in the tournament (AMER: 3 Spots, EMEA: 5 Spots, ASIA: 3 Spots). These tournaments will take place online via FACEIT. These open tournaments will determine the remaining teams joining the 19 invited teams in the Online Qualifiers.
Online Qualifiers (24 Teams - Summer 2026)28 teams compete within Conference groupings optimized for location and connectivity: AMER A/B, EMEA A/B/C, ASIA A/B. The top two teams from each Conference will advance to the Group Stage along with the standing Champions and runner ups from the Overwatch World Cup 2023, Saudi Arabia and China.
As the top performing Conference in 2023, EMEA earned an additional Conference grouping and two additional spots in the group stage qualification.
Group Draw (Summer 2026)Ahead of the Group Stage, the top 16 teams will be seeded into four groups of four in an online show. Draw pools will be based on Online Qualifiers performance and placement.
Group Stage (16 Teams – Summer 2026)The four groups of four teams will challenge each other in a single round-robin tournament where every map, every win, and every point could make the difference to continue their journey to the finals.
The leading two teams from each group will advance to BlizzCon 2026!
Finals at BlizzCon 2026 (Anaheim)Top 8 Teams will face off in a Single-Elimination bracket where one C9 could punch their ticket home, and a perfect run will mark their name in Overwatch Esports history.
Competition Committees and How to Apply (Opens November 29, 2025)Competition CommitteesEvery team is led by a three-person Competition Committee:
- General Manager — Team operations, sponsors, and official Blizzard liaison. Residency restrictions apply.
- Coach — Tryouts, competitive leadership and strategy, player selection. No residency restrictions.
- Social Lead — Social channels, content, community engagement. Residency restrictions apply.
ApplicationsApplications are opened for groups and organizations. Individual applications will not be accepted; the goal is to have applications come in with individuals already willing and wanting to work together rather than being forced into a committee selection.
Blizzard reserves the right to discuss committee role changes in group applications if an individual isn’t eligible or doesn't meet qualification standards. STEP 1
Create a short video introducing yourselves or your org, why you want to participate, and what unique strengths you’ll bring to the program and your team.
(Written statements or presentations are accepted in addition or in lieu of video in the application form.)
STEP 2
Submit the application form (name, email, Discord, Battle.net, etc…)
STEP 3
If selected or if we have additional follow up questions, Blizzard will contact you via email or Discord with next steps.
Key Dates- Submission window: November 29, 2025, to January 16, 2026
- Selections finalized by: February 2, 2026
- Eligibility:
- Committee candidates must be 18+ by November 29, 2025.
- General Managers and Social Leads must be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the nation they which to represent.
- Coaches are not bound by residency requirements.
Team RostersOWWC 2026 brings some exciting changes to roster construction. Like in 2023, rosters will have a maximum starting roster of 7 players. However, unlike previous years, 2026 is introducing a new way for players within their conferences to showcase their skills. Introducing Breakthrough Players, these players are:
- Limited to 1 per team (takes the spot of 1 of the 7 starting players)
- Must be from the same Conference
- Cannot be from a country/region already represented in OWWC 2026 (i.e: a South Korean player cannot compete in another ASIA team as a Breakthrough player since South Korea is represented in OWWC)
- Teams are not forced to use this spot and may proceed with a regular 7 player roster
- Wildcard Teams cannot make use of the Breakthrough Player slot until after Conference Cups are over.
Breakthrough Player roster spots provide a platform for the best players around the globe to be represented in OWWC regardless of their country/region participation in OWWC 2026. This also provides a new avenue for fans to support their Conference!
Heroes, the stage is set, and the world is watching. Whether you’re Top 500, an OWCS hopeful, or a Quick Play warrior, there’s a path to get involved. Keep an eye out for sign-ups, tryout info, Online Qualifiers Schedule, Group Draw announcements, and the full viewer’s guide to the 2026 Overwatch World Cup.
FAQ- Who is allowed to apply for a competition committee position?
Any person with an active Battle.net account in good standing is eligible to apply for a committee position for their team. General Managers and Social Leads must be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the nation they wish to represent. Coaches are not bound by this residency requirement.
- Are committee members eligible for prize pool?
As with previous Overwatch World Cups, committee members are considered members of the team and therefore eligible for an equal distribution of prize pool among the team.
- Where are the rules of the tournament?
The competition rules for the online qualifiers, group stage, and LAN finals will be delivered directly to the final committees and players for their acknowledgement. Onsite expectations, prizing details, match format, and other information will be communicated directly to these teams.
- What documents do I need to be eligible to participate as part of a representing team?
Participants must provide proof of a valid passport, and in the event your passport doesn’t match the country or region you’re trying to represent, you will also need to provide to Blizzard proof of a government-issued identification from the country/region you’re trying to represent. Participants must use a Battle.net account in your name in good standing, with residence registered to the country or region you’re trying to represent. Eligibility to apply and represent will depend on country of residency and game account standing, so
make sure your Blizzard account is up-to-date and in good standing.
Stay InformedFollow Overwatch Esports on social media for team rosters, Group Draw details, broadcast info, and more. Questions? Reach out via
[email protected].
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Тема: Разработчики Overwatch 2 поделились планами на киберспортивные мероприятия в 2026 г. (Прочитано 284 раз)
