Marvel Rivals Esports 2026: The Professional Era Begins.
In 2025, Marvel Rivals Esports successfully expanded its competitive landscape through the Ignite Series, a global circuit featuring four thrilling seasons, alongside impactful in-game competitions such as the Marvel Rivals Championship. These initiatives collectively strengthened our Esports foundation, delivering unforgettable moments and engaging fans and players across all over the world.
Building on this momentum, 2026 will mark the official start of the Marvel Rivals Professional League. This new era will be further elevated by the introduction of our Partner Teams Program, designed to ensure sustainable growth and deeper competitive integrity. Details on the program will be revealed in the following section.
Competitive Calendar
The 2026 Marvel Rivals Esports season will be built around three core competitive stages and feature two international LAN events. A significant new addition is the preseason, which will take place in April. Serving as the inaugural stage for all teams, the preseason will deliver thrilling early-year matches while also determining the initial seeding for the league's first professional year.
The season will then unfold through a clear calendar: Stage 1 runs from May to June, followed by the Mid-Season Finals in August. Stage 2 will take place from September to October, culminating in the Grand Finals in late November. This schedule is designed to provide two major international LAN opportunities, ensuring consistent, high-level competition throughout the year and giving top teams multiple chances to compete on the global stage.
Prize Pool
The total annual prize pool will be uncapped, starting from a guaranteed $3 million USD. This reflects our desire to incentivize teams to enhance their player training and improve their overall performance, ultimately making our competitions more exciting and engaging for the audience.
Regional Updates
To ensure more balanced competition and deliver higher-level matches globally, Marvel Rivals eSports will introduce a new regional structure for the 2026 Pro League.
A key change is the consolidation of Asia and Oceania into a unified PACIFIC region, which will feature two sub-regions: ASIA and OCEANIA.
During the group stage, Asia and Oceania will compete independently within their own sub-regions. They will then converge during the playoffs, setting the stage for cross-regional clashes and a truly international path to the championship.
The 2026 Marvel Rivals Esports Pro League will feature four premier regions:
AMERICAS, EMEA, PACIFIC and CHINA.
Rromotion & Relegation Rules
Starting in 2026, nearly every regional Ignite Series tournament and the Mid-Season Finals will serve as a qualifier for the Marvel Rivals Grand Finals. League points will be awarded based on final placements in Stage 1, the Mid-Season Finals, and Stage 2.
Teams can secure their spot at the global finals by either winning the Stage 2 Playoffs or finishing near the top of the annual league leader-board.
To further enhance competition and maintain an open ecosystem, we are introducing a Promotion and Relegation system. This provides a clear path for aspiring teams worldwide to enter the professional league. Teams can earn points through the Marvel Rivals Championship 2026 (MRC 2026), which means that at the Mid Season and at end of the 2026 season, top-performing MRC teams will have the opportunity to compete for a league spot against the perform poorly League teams. Official partner teams will receive limited protection from relegation.
Marvel Rivals Championship
The Marvel Rivals Championship (MRC) returns in 2026 with an expanded structure of six competitive seasons—each presenting a critical opportunity to advance toward the global stage.
For PC competitors, MRC Season 6 will serve as the final direct qualifier of the 2025 competitive year, offering the last remaining slots to fill regional ranks for the 2026 season. If your region still has open slots, this will be your ultimate chance to claim one.
Starting with MRC Season 7, teams will earn points based on continuous participation and performance throughout the year. The highest-ranked teams in the annual standings will secure the opportunity to compete for promotion into the Marvel Rivals Esports Pro League.
Don’t let the final shot of the year slip away—consistent performance is now the key to going pro.
Partner Teams Program Launches
Teams are the core of the Marvel Rivals Esports universe. In 2026, we're uniting with elite organizations across AMER, EMEA, PAC, and CN regions to launch the groundbreaking Marvel Rivals Esports Partner Teams Program, establishing a solid foundation for global competitive play.
Selected partner teams will share revenue from in-game team-themed content and receive comprehensive support—creating a sustainable environment for long-term competitive development. Applications are now open to qualified organizations worldwide, with submissions closing on January 15 2026.
Get ready to support your favorite teams like never before! Starting with the 2026 Ignite Series, exclusive Team Bundles and Esports Bundle will debut in-game, letting you showcase your allegiance both on and off the battlefield.
We're calling top organizations worldwide to join this pioneering program and help shape the future of Marvel Rivals Esports. Stay tuned for 2026 season updates—including the first partner teams reveal, support mechanisms, and full competition schedule.
For more details, please click here.
Social Contact
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The official broadcast of Marvel Rivals Ignite will be available on the following live-streaming platforms:
And for specific regions' live-streaming, please check below: