ESL has revealed the initial details of its competitive schedule for 2026, featuring six LAN events scheduled from January to November.
In theory, this suggests that ESL will host one less tournament compared to 2025, but fans will soon observe a significant gap in the schedule from May to September. This will undoubtedly spark speculation that the 2026 IEM Cologne, which is typically scheduled for late July or early August, might be designated as a Major.
The 2026 Summer Major is set to occur from June 8 to June 21, although these dates may still be altered due to the expansion of Majors to 32 teams.
ESL Announcement
ESL has become the fourth tournament organizer to announce their event dates for 2026, joining PGL, BLAST, and StarLadder. The Romanian organization has also revealed the host cities for four out of the six events it plans to conduct that year: Cluj-Napoca, Bucharest, Astana, and Belgrade.
ESL’s 2025 circuit is set to begin on January 29 with IEM Katowice. Earlier this week, the organization revealed additional information about the future of the ESL Pro Tour, including the launch of the Annual Club Incentive and a revised prize money structure designed to offer greater financial advantages to organizations.
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