Overwatch Esports Announces Stacked 2026 Roadmap
Blizzard Entertainment has supercharged Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) for 2026, expanding the partner program to 11 elite organisations including new Chinese entrants. While reviving the iconic Overwatch World Cup with a path to BlizzCon finals.
The revamped ecosystem features regional circuits across North America, EMEA, Asia (Korea, Japan, Pacific), and China, where top performers battle for spots in global live events and a share of the crowdfunded prizepool. Full season formats drop soon, building on 2025’s open, FACEIT powered success.
Partner Program Levels Up to 11 Teams
From nine in 2025, the program now boasts 11 partners, blending proven powerhouses with fresh blood like Disguised and Dallas Fuel. Chinese squads join for the first time, amplifying global reach.
- North America: Team Liquid, Spacestation Gaming, Disguised, Dallas Fuel
- EMEA: Twisted Minds, Team Peps, Virtus.pro
- Asia: Team Falcons, Crazy Raccoon, T1, ZETA DIVISION
These squads kick off with an invite-only Pre-Season Bootcamp in Seoul, Korea, this February—featuring early competitive build access, daily scrims, and coaching collabs for a razor-sharp season start.
Overwatch World Cup Roars Back
The World Cup returns with a three-conference grind (AMER, EMEA, ASIA):
- Pre-Qualifier Conference Cups
- Online summer qualifiers
- Live playoffs
- Top-8 showdown at BlizzCon 2026 (September 12-13)
Committee apps opened November 2025, team selection hits spring.
Associate Hero Designer Scott Kennedy comments “That exact feeling is why I’m so excited that the Overwatch World Cup is back in 2026 for a new generation of players and fans to experience.”
Overwatch Esports lead: “2026 is stacked with Esports programming… The OWCS 2026 season will run alongside the Overwatch World Cup, delivering top tier global competition.”
Bonus: Spring Collegiate Nationals gear up with $100K scholarships, open qualifiers, and live finals in April.
This blueprint caps a pivotal 2025 post-Overwatch League era with OWCS World Finals at DreamHack Stockholm crowning champions amid large growth in China and beyond.
Since: October 29, 2025
