Initiate World Cup ProtocolIn celebration of 10 years of Overwatch Esports, the Overwatch World Cup (OWWC) returns to the Anaheim Convention Center Arena at BlizzCon 2026. Since 2016, the OWWC has united heroes from around the world to crown a global champion. Will new legends rise, or will the reigning champions hold their ground? See how the road to Anaheim unfolds and meet your 2026 competing teams!
In 2026, 30 teams will compete in the OWWC: 19 invited teams and 11 wildcard teams. Invited teams were selected from the top 16 teams in 2023 and the 3 top performing teams in EMEA. The 11 wildcard teams will earn their place via Conference Cups, a new part of World Cup in 2026. It’s time to ready up, represent your team, and make history as the best OWWC team. Being part of the OWWC isn’t just about competing on the big stage, it’s about embracing the competitive spirit of the program and uplifting your fellow players. Even if your country/region doesn’t end up being part of the 30 selected, you will have the opportunity to participate in the program - read on to find out how!
Competing Teams (Online Qualifier groupings announced later)
AMER
Brazil
Canada
Colombia
Mexico
United States*
AMER Wildcard #1
AMER Wildcard #2
AMER Wildcard #3
EMEA
Denmark
Finland
France
Great Britain
Norway
Saudi Arabia*
Spain
Sweden
EMEA Wildcard #1
EMEA Wildcard #2
EMEA Wildcard #3
EMEA Wildcard #4
EMEA Wildcard #5
ASIA
Australia
China
Hong Kong
Japan
South Korea*
Thailand
ASIA Wildcard #1
ASIA Wildcard #2
ASIA Wildcard #3
*Past Champions (by year & total titles)
South Korea — 2016, 2017, 2018 (3)
United States — 2019 (1)
Saudi Arabia — 2023 (1)
November 29, 2025 — Applications Now Open for all competition committees (invited teams and potential wildcard teams) and roles (General Manager, Coach, Social Lead).February to March 2026 — Team Tryouts will run from February to March with Conference Cups for wildcard teams taking place in March.
Wildcard Teams Rosters: Once selected, wildcard team Committees will need to provide a roster to compete in their respective Conference Cups. These rosters will only be valid for the Conference Cup tournament, and teams advancing to the summer’s Online Qualifiers will be able to update their rosters prior to then.
Invited Team Rosters: Teams are required to lock in their rosters by April.
Approved wildcard competition committees will compete to earn one of the remaining spots in the tournament (AMER: 3 Spots, EMEA: 5 Spots, ASIA: 3 Spots). These tournaments will take place online via FACEIT. These open tournaments will determine the remaining teams joining the 19 invited teams in the Online Qualifiers.
28 teams compete within Conference groupings optimized for location and connectivity: AMER A/B, EMEA A/B/C, ASIA A/B. The top two teams from each Conference will advance to the Group Stage along with the standing Champions and runner ups from the Overwatch World Cup 2023, Saudi Arabia and China.
As the top performing Conference in 2023, EMEA earned an additional Conference grouping and two additional spots in the group stage qualification.
Ahead of the Group Stage, the top 16 teams will be seeded into four groups of four in an online show. Draw pools will be based on Online Qualifiers performance and placement.
The four groups of four teams will challenge each other in a single round-robin tournament where every map, every win, and every point could make the difference to continue their journey to the finals.
The leading two teams from each group will advance to BlizzCon 2026!
Top 8 Teams will face off in a Single-Elimination bracket where one C9 could punch their ticket home, and a perfect run will mark their name in Overwatch Esports history.
Every team is led by a three-person Competition Committee:
General Manager — Team operations, sponsors, and official Blizzard liaison. Residency restrictions apply.
Coach — Tryouts, competitive leadership and strategy, player selection. No residency restrictions.
Social Lead — Social channels, content, community engagement. Residency restrictions apply.
Applications are opened for groups and organizations. Individual applications will not be accepted; the goal is to have applications come in with individuals already willing and wanting to work together rather than being forced into a committee selection. Blizzard reserves the right to discuss committee role changes in group applications if an individual isn’t eligible or doesn't meet qualification standards.
Create a short video introducing yourselves or your org, why you want to participate, and what unique strengths you’ll bring to the program and your team.(Written statements or presentations are accepted in addition or in lieu of video in the application form.)
Submit the application form (name, email, Discord, Battle.net, etc…)
If selected or if we have additional follow up questions, Blizzard will contact you via email or Discord with next steps.
Submission window: November 29, 2025, to January 16, 2026
Selections finalized by: February 2, 2026
Eligibility:
Committee candidates must be 18+ by November 29, 2025.
General Managers and Social Leads must be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the nation they which to represent.
Coaches are not bound by residency requirements.
OWWC 2026 brings some exciting changes to roster construction. Like in 2023, rosters will have a maximum starting roster of 7 players. However, unlike previous years, 2026 is introducing a new way for players within their conferences to showcase their skills. Introducing Breakthrough Players, these players are:
Limited to 1 per team (takes the spot of 1 of the 7 starting players)
Must be from the same Conference
Cannot be from a country/region already represented in OWWC 2026 (i.e: a South Korean player cannot compete in another ASIA team as a Breakthrough player since South Korea is represented in OWWC)
Teams are not forced to use this spot and may proceed with a regular 7 player roster
Wildcard Teams cannot make use of the Breakthrough Player slot until after Conference Cups are over.
Breakthrough Player roster spots provide a platform for the best players around the globe to be represented in OWWC regardless of their country/region participation in OWWC 2026. This also provides a new avenue for fans to support their Conference!
Heroes, the stage is set, and the world is watching. Whether you’re Top 500, an OWCS hopeful, or a Quick Play warrior, there’s a path to get involved. Keep an eye out for sign-ups, tryout info, Online Qualifiers Schedule, Group Draw announcements, and the full viewer’s guide to the 2026 Overwatch World Cup.
Who is allowed to apply for a competition committee position?
Any person with an active Battle.net account in good standing is eligible to apply for a committee position for their team. General Managers and Social Leads must be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the nation they wish to represent. Coaches are not bound by this residency requirement.
Are committee members eligible for prize pool?
As with previous Overwatch World Cups, committee members are considered members of the team and therefore eligible for an equal distribution of prize pool among the team.
Where are the rules of the tournament?
The competition rules for the online qualifiers, group stage, and LAN finals will be delivered directly to the final committees and players for their acknowledgement.
Onsite expectations, prizing details, match format, and other information will be communicated directly to these teams.
What documents do I need to be eligible to participate as part of a representing team?
Participants must provide proof of a valid passport, and in the event your passport doesn’t match the country or region you’re trying to represent, you will also need to provide to Blizzard proof of a government-issued identification from the country/region you’re trying to represent.
Participants must use a Battle.net account in your name in good standing, with residence registered to the country or region you’re trying to represent.
Eligibility to apply and represent will depend on country of residency and game account standing, so make sure your Blizzard account is up-to-date and in good standing.
Follow Overwatch Esports on social media for team rosters, Group Draw details, broadcast info, and more. Questions? Reach out via OverwatchWorldCup@blizzard.com.
SOOP (OW Esports Korea)
