The RLCS 2026 season roadmap has been officially announced

As the 2RLCS 2025 season ends, the official roadmap for 2026 has been announced.

Here are the key details and exciting updates heading into next season!

RLCS 2026 format

RLCS's 3v3 format will remain as the primary competition in RLCS 2026.

Each region will once again compete across three online Opens per Split (6 total) with a Major LAN at the end of each Split (2 total).

The season will then culminate at the RLCS 2026 World Championship.

Additionally, RLCS 1v1s and Last Chance Qualifiers for the World Championship will return as part of the competitive circuit.

Now, for the big news.

Changes to roster eligibility

All rosters must now field a majority of players who are residents or citizens of the region they are competing in.

For standard 3-player rosters, this means at least two players must meet these regional eligibility requirements through citizenship or permanent legal residency.

Teams that choose to register a substitute (4-player roster) must ensure that at least three of the four players meet the new regional eligibility requirements.

These changes are designed to keep regional competition fair and balanced, while still allowing international talent to shine.

A full breakdown of which countries fall under each RLCS region, along with the exact eligibility rules, will be available in the official RLCS rulebook.

Find a duo for RLCS 2v2s

Image via Rocket League Esports

Following last season's addition of 1v1s to the competitive circuit, RLCS 2026 will feature 2v2s as a third competitive game mode.

RLCS 2v2s will have their own Opens and be featured at LANs just as 1v1s were throughout RLCS 2025.

Kick off the season with a new LAN

RLCS 2026's Kick-Off LAN will be a new, three-day LAN event that will serve as the conclusion of Open #1 and our first look at how regions stack up to each other.

The tournament will pit 12 teams against each other in a close-proximity setting at BLAST's Copenhagen studio.

On the final day, the top two teams from each region will move into a four-team bracket, competing for a coveted 2026 Regional Slot. The winner not only secures direct qualification to Major 1, but also earns their region an additional fifth slot at RL Worlds 2026.

Key dates to put in your calendar

Official RLCS 2026 schedule overview

Split 1: November 2025 - February 2026

November 14, 2025, will mark the beginning of the RLCS 2026 season. The first Opens in each region will start on the following dates:

• NA & EU: November 14, 2025
• SAM & APAC: November 15, 2025
• MENA: November 21, 2025
• OCE & SSA: November 22, 2025

December 5-7, 2025, will be the first glimpse at how the regions stack up to each other during the brand new Kick-Off LAN.

February 2026 will feature Major 1, taking place in North America.

Split 2: March 2026 - May 2026

May 24-26, 2026, will bring Major 2 to the La Défense Arena in Paris!

Road to the World Championship

June - July 2026 will contain both the RLCS 1v1 and 2v2 online Opens.

July - August 2026 is when regions will host their online Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQs), giving four teams one final chance to qualify for the World Championship, based on the four best-performing regions across the Season.

September 2026 will be when the biggest tournament in Rocket League takes place, the RLCS 2026 World Championship. The event has been extended to 6 days and will once again feature the 16 teams with the most RLCS Points, joined by the 4 teams that emerge from LCQs.