Call of Duty League announces 2026 season with fantastic changes
Pro-Am is back, European Majors are back, and more!
News
If you thought the changes for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 were good, you should see the esports adjustments. Caster extraordinaire MilesTheRoss and GM of Call of Duty Esports Daniel Tsay took the digital stage to relay all the new info, and it sounds amazing. With Majors all over the place, including the UK and Atlanta, Champs in Vegas, Challengers updates, and more, it's looking to be a great year. Check all of it out below!
The Call of Duty League is back and it’s going to be bigger than ever.
Get ready for the most competitive, and electric season in CDL history. The action kicks off on Friday, December 5, when the world’s best Call of Duty League teams take the stage in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7. This is an all new Black Ops experience taking players to 2035 with a distinctive style and tone all its own.
Last season, OpTic Texas went back-to-back as Call of Duty League champions, but this season, new team brands, roster shakeups, and fresh competition formats promise a whole new level of intensity.
This season the Call of Duty League welcomes four new team identities: FaZe Vegas, Riyadh Falcons, G2 Minnesota, and Toronto KOI. The Call of Duty League continues to be dynamic and evolve, reflecting the passion that fuels our community. The League is also more accessible than ever, with matches to be streamed live on YouTube and Twitch and featured across watch parties worldwide.
Fans can look forward to a packed calendar of events as the CDL travels to new cities around the globe and introduces innovative tournament formats. Here’s your look at what’s ahead in 2026.
CDL Season Schedule
Major I: Dallas, Texas, hosted by OpTic Texas
The CDL returns to the home of the reigning champions to kick off the season. Expect big crowds, loud chants, and intense matchups as every team sets out to prove they belong among the best as all 12 teams face-off in Texas.
Major II: Birmingham, United Kingdom, hosted by DreamHack
Grab your passports. Call of Duty League is heading across the pond for the first-ever 10-team Major. UK fans always bring unmatched energy, and with limited slots available for Major II, the qualifiers leading into this one will be some of the most competitive yet.
The CDL Major II at DreamHack Birmingham will kick off with online qualifiers from February 13 to March 22, before culminating in a LAN Major tournament at DreamHack Birmingham from March 27–29, 2026. Fans can expect three days of non-stop action, high-stakes matchups, and an electric live atmosphere as the world’s top Call of Duty teams go head-to-head.
DreamHack has a long-standing history of bringing the world’s biggest gaming communities together under one roof, and this next stop in the CDL calendar continues that legacy, uniting fans, creators, and players in one of esports’ most passionate arenas.
Tickets for DreamHack Birmingham, including access to CDL Major II, are available now. Find out more at https://dreamhack.com/birmingham/cdl
Major III: Atlanta, Georgia
At long last, CDL returns to Atlanta. The southern crowd is known for passion, and this stop promises an unforgettable weekend of Call of Duty. Major III will also host a Pro-Am where four Challengers teams join the CDL pros in the fight for the trophy.
Major IV: Paris, France
The rumors are true, CDL is heading to Paris. It’s the last chance for teams to secure CDL points before Champs, and fans from across the world will gather to see who can punch their ticket to Las Vegas.
Championship Weekend: Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by FaZe Vegas
The season comes to an end under the bright lights of Las Vegas, as FaZe Vegas hosts 2026 Call of Duty League Championship. Will OpTic Texas complete the first-ever three-peat, or will a new champion rise? One thing’s for sure; this will be the event of the year.
Competition Format Details
Qualifying Weeks
Each Major features Online Qualifiers to determine seeding for the LAN tournaments. There will be five weeks of qualifiers for Major I, six weeks for Major II, and three weeks for Majors III and IV. Teams will face off multiple times across each stage, fighting for critical CDL Points.
10-Team Major II
For the first time ever, the CDL will run a full round-robin during the qualifier stage where all 12 teams face each other across six weeks. The top ten teams advance to Birmingham, with the top six earning spots directly into the main bracket. Teams seeded seven through ten will compete in a play-in match for the final two spots.
Pro-Am Classic Major III
The Pro-Am Classic returns for the first time since the 2023 season, bringing together CDL and Challengers teams for one weekend of cross-division competition. The top two Challengers teams from Major II’s Open and the winners of North America and Europe Elite Season 3 will qualify.
Online Minor Tournaments
Two 12-team single-elimination Minor Tournaments will take place during the season, offering additional CDL Points and excitement between Majors. These tournaments are seeded based on Call of Duty League standings after Major II and Major III.
Game Modes
Matches will feature Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and the new mode Overload.
“All of us at Treyarch are incredibly excited for the upcoming CDL season featuring Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7 and of course are thrilled to see our new game mode Overload played on the main stage!” said Matt Scronce, Design Director, Treyarch. “We look forward to continuing our longstanding support of competitive play as we work closely with the league and teams to make this the most exciting year of competitive Call of Duty!”
CDL Points
CDL Points up for grabs throughout the season mimic the 2025 season, with additional points being available for the Top 4 teams at each Minor Tournament. For a full breakdown on how Teams earn CDL Points, visit the League standings page.
Challengers
The 2026 Challengers season begins December 5 and 6 with the first Challengers Cup. For the first time, there will be a League-hosted Open event at every CDL Major. Europe Challengers will also grow, with the Middle East being added to the competition region. Lastly there will be four Elite seasons this year. Additional information will be shared soon.
2026 Call of Duty League Regular Season Schedule*
Major I: Dallas, TX
December 5 - January 25: Online Qualifiers
January 29 - February 1: LAN Major Tournament
Major II: Birmingham, UK
February 13 - March 22: Online Qualifiers
March 27 - 29: LAN Major Tournament - Tickets on sale now
Major III: Atlanta, GA
April 17 - May 10: Online Qualifiers
April 24 - 26: Online Minor Tournament
May: LAN Major Tournament
Major IV: Paris, France
May 29 - June 21: Online Qualifiers
June 5 - 7: Online Minor Tournament
June 25 - 28: LAN Major Tournament
Championship Weekend: Las Vegas, NV
July 16 - 19: Championship Weekend
*Dates and locations subject to change.
Follow the action all season long on YouTube and Twitch, and keep up with the latest news on X, Instagram, and TikTok.
The road to Champs begins now.
Stay tuned to GamingTrend for more Call of Duty League news and info!
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