2026 Major Esports Tournaments Calendar

Even though competitive gaming is frequently labeled as one single concept, it actually encompasses an expansive sector made up of numerous titles, organizations, businesses, and event hosts.

Each month, premier competitive games are highlighted, with elite global competitors vying for titles before audiences in studios, arenas, and occasionally, even grand stadiums. Nevertheless, monitoring all competitive gaming occurrences can be challenging given the sheer scale of the environment.

To assist in presenting and understanding the 2026 competitive gaming schedule, Esports Insider has compiled a chronological inventory of significant gatherings occurring over the year. This compilation covers everything from crucial localized contests to widely recognized global championships in games like League of Legends, VALORANT, CS2, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and numerous others.

This compilation will be refreshed regularly as additional prominent competitive gaming events and their timings are revealed. Initially released: January 16, 2026.

The 2026 schedule kicks off with what is arguably among the year’s most celebrated competitive gaming tournaments, the M7 World Championship for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. January additionally signifies the beginning of League of Legends’ and VALORANT’s 2026 campaigns, as Riot Games’ premier regional circuits get underway.

Even with the year still in its early stages, Apex Legends is set to determine its global victor, as the ALGS Championship will unfold in Japan.

February 2026 is unmistakably marked by the Six Invitational, where the top Rainbow Six Siege X squads globally will travel to Paris aiming to secure one of competitive gaming’s most celebrated awards. Regarding global tournaments, VALORANT, CS2, Dota 2, and Rocket League are also set to organize significant offline events distributed throughout the Americas and Europe.

In March 2026, the United Kingdom and Japan come into focus, as both nations are slated to host prominent competitive gaming gatherings for various game titles. Beginning with Japan, the country is scheduled to present three FGC tournaments spanning Street Fighter 6 and Virtua Fighter 5.

Concurrently, Dota 2’s ESL One competition circuit will proceed to Birmingham, UK, coinciding with the Call of Duty League 2026: Stage 2 Major. Additional significant happenings in March comprise the launch of VALORANT’s VCT Stage 2 throughout its Global Leagues, in addition to League of Legends’ initial worldwide contest, First Stand.

During April 2026, the competitive landscape for League of Legends progresses with the commencement of its Regular Season, succeeding First Stand. Simultaneously, Age of Empires II’s premier competitive gaming event, Red Bull Wololo, makes its way to London to determine the global champion.

Additionally, four CS2 competitions are scheduled for April 2026, among them IEM Rio and PGL Bucharest. Lastly, Fortnite is slated to stage its inaugural Major for the 2026 season.

Subsequent to Fortnite’s initial Major, the title’s inaugural global offline competition, the FNCS Major 1 Summit 2026, is scheduled for May. The FGC will again be highlighted at Evo Japan 2026, while Rocket League makes its way to France for the RLCS Paris Major.

June 2026 is poised to commence with a highly esteemed competitive gaming gathering, a CS2 Major. For this year, ESL will host the initial Major, elevating its IEM Cologne competition to Major standing consequently.

Not to be overshadowed, June will further present significant global tournaments for League of Legends and VALORANT, with their MSI 2026 and Masters London 2026 events, correspondingly. Furthermore, Evo’s premier FGC competition in the US is slated for June 2026, in conjunction with the PUBG Nations Cup and the Call of Duty League’s fourth Major.

July 2026 marks the commencement of the Esports World Cup, a multi-game competitive event showcasing a broad spectrum of titles. Within the US, a Call of Duty global champion will also be determined this month through the Call of Duty League Championship 2026.

In parallel with the ongoing Esports World Cup, Dota 2 is set to present its most significant annual gathering in China, the International 2026. Further competitive gaming events already slated encompass the Overwatch World Cup in the US, along with Marvel Rivals’ inaugural global competitive event for the year, the Mid Season Finals.

While limited information has been revealed for September 2026 to date, the month is undeniably highlighted by two colossal tournaments. Enthusiasts of both Rocket League and VALORANT will observe the designation of fresh global champions at the RLCS 2026 World Championship and VALORANT Champions 2026.

Slated for October 2026, the League of Legends World Championship represents more than just the peak of the MOBA game’s competitive circuit; it is frequently regarded as the ultimate achievement in competitive gaming from a general audience viewpoint. Although it doesn’t command the same level of recognition in the Western hemisphere, the unprecedented King Pro League Grand Finals for Honor of Kings is also projected for October.

November 2026 signifies the conclusion of the competitive gaming seasons for Marvel Rivals, Fortnite, and PUBG Mobile, with each game hosting competitions to declare global victors. Counter-Strike 2’s second, and ultimate, Major for the year is also scheduled to occur in Singapore, arranged by PGL.

To bring the year to a close, the sole major event confirmed for December is the PUBG Global Championship 2026. Nevertheless, it is anticipated that further competitions will be announced shortly.