RLCS 2026 - Boston Major: MENA Open 3

🎮 Tournament Format & Schedule

1. The Open Qualifier (Double Elimination) — January 22nd – 23rd, 2026

• Format: A comprehensive Double Elimination Bracket giving teams a crucial safety net to bounce back through the Lower Bracket if they drop an early series.

• Match Rules:

  • Early rounds feature fast-paced Best-of-3 (Bo3) series.

  • Once the bracket narrows down to the Top 192 teams, the format scales up entirely to high-stakes Best-of-5 (Bo5) series.

• Progression: The Top 24 teams successfully survive the bracket to secure their spot in the next stage.

2. The Swiss Stage — January 24th, 2026

• Format: The field expands to 32 teams split evenly into 2 separate groups. Each group runs a classic 16-Team Swiss System Format.

• Match Rules: A rigorous test of consistency where every single match is played as a Best-of-5 (Bo5) series.

• Progression: The Top 8 teams per group (16 teams in total) successfully navigate the Swiss field to advance.

3. The Group Stage — January 29th, 2026

• Format: The 16 surviving teams are divided into 2 GSL-style groups consisting of 8 teams each.

• Match Rules: Intense tactical gameplay where all matches are strictly played as Best-of-5 (Bo5) series.

• Progression: The Top 4 teams from each group (8 teams in total) punch their tickets to the final arena.

4. The Playoffs — January 30th – 31st, 2026

• Format: A dynamic AFL Final Eight system that heavily rewards Group Stage performance:

  • Upper Seeding Advantage: The Top 4 teams from the Group Stage earn a two-chance buffer before reaching the Final Four.

  • Lower Seeding Pressure: Teams finishing 5th–8th start directly in elimination mode with only one chance to survive.

• Match Rules: The ultimate championship gauntlet—all playoff matches are grueling Best-of-7 (Bo7) series.