2026 has just begun, and it is already time to look ahead to the key esports events to follow this year, from the first-ever Esports Nations Cup to what could be the final season for the current
League of Legends and
VALORANT formats. The calendar will once again be shaped by major international events, with Worlds returning to the United States, two
Counter-Strike Majors, and the first truly large-scale tournaments on
2XKO, Riot Gamesâ new title.
League of Legends in 2026
After years of running with almost the same structure, 2026 could be the last season with leagues that are this closed. The shift is already visible in EMEA, where the LEC will welcome two additional teams for LEC Versus as a special exception. For the first time since 2013, Worlds will be split between two different cities, with the group stage and playoffs in Allen, Texas, and the grand final in New York, while
League of Legends will also feature in the
Asian Games, a nation-based competition.
- First Stand: 16 March â 22 March, SĂŁo Paulo (Brazil)
- Mid-Season Invitational: 26 June â 12 July, Daejeon (South Korea)
- Asian Games: 19 September â 4 October, Aichi and Nagoya (Japan)
- Worlds: ? â ?, Allen (United States), New York (United States)
VALORANT, a year to consolidate
After Champions Paris, which ranked among the top three most-watched VALORANT esports events in terms of hours watched, the FPS from Riot Games has confirmed its strong momentum on the competitive side and should continue on that trajectory in 2026. For the first time since the 2023 Lock In, an international event will return to South America, with the first Masters of the year heading to Chile.
- Masters Santiago: 28 February â 15 March, Santiago (Chile)
- Masters London: 6 June â 21 June, London (United Kingdom)
- Champions Shanghai: ? â ?, Shanghai (China)
EWC and ENC
The Esports World Cup will once again be one of the landmark events of the esports calendar, both for the number of titles involved and how deeply it is now embedded into existing circuits, with events such as the Mid-Season Cup on
Mobile Legends, the World Cup on
PUBG Mobile,
Honor of Kings, and
EA FC. After three editions of this âWorld Cup,â the
EWC Foundation has announced the creation of the Esports Nations Cup, set to launch in 2026, even if details remain scarce for now, a sort of âEsports Olympicsâ held once more in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and expected to feature national teams across several games.
For now, Riot Games titles have not been confirmed, but many publishers have already committed to take part, including Tencent (PUBG Mobile), Electronic Arts (Apex Legends, EA FC), Ubisoft (Rainbow Six), Krafton (PUBG, Honor of Kings), Moonton (Mobile Legends), SNK (Fatal Fury), and Chess.com. It will also be a packed year for national-team competitions in general, with the Asian Games featuring, among others, League of Legends, MLBB, Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, and Pokémon Unite.
- Esports World Cup: 6 July â 23 August, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
- Esports Nations Cup: 1 November â 30 November, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
Counter-Strike 2, one more full season
2026 will, unsurprisingly, be another packed season for CS2, just like previous years. The two Majors will once again stand out as the events to watch, alongside the ESL and BLAST circuits, which will continue to offer multiple stops throughout the year. ESL will host the first Major in the Cathedral of Counter-Strike at IEM Cologne, a first for the organizer since the release of Valveâs latest FPS, while PGL will run the second Major, another first, this time in Singapore at the end of 2026.
- IEM Cologne Major: 2 June â 21 June, Cologne (Germany)
- PGL Singapore Major: 25 November â 13 December, Singapore (Singapore)
