This tournament kicks off the new Rocket League esports season in a unique way. It features top teams from Europe and North America demonstrating their newly formed lineups. The winning team will automatically qualify for the Boston Major.
The Rocket League Championship Series 2026 (RLCS 2026) kicked off with its usual online Open Qualifiers in all major regions. But this first qualifier is different – it ends with an in-person LAN tournament!
The RLCS 2026 season begins with regional championship events held in person, culminating in a showdown between the best four teams from Europe and North America.
Beyond the thrill of professional Rocket League, we’re also seeing fresh talent join the top esports organizations and compete at the highest level.
A surprising upset happened early in the qualifying rounds – NRG, the 2025 World Champions, didn’t qualify for the Kick-Off Weekend. The final matches could introduce some new and exciting players to the competitive scene.
How to watch the Rocket League Kick-Off Weekend: Stream
Hey everyone, just letting you know I’m watching all the Kick-Off RLCS 2026 matches over on the official Rocket League Esports YouTube channel. You can check it out there too – the stream is right above, so you won’t miss a thing!
Schedule of matches at the RLCS 2026 Kick-Off Weekend
The event goes on for three days, from Dec. 5 to Dec. 7.
- Friday, Dec. 5: EU Open 1 finals.
- Saturday, Dec. 6: NA Open 1 finals.
- Sunday, Dec. 7: EU vs NA.
Here’s the schedule for the first day of the Rocket League esports Kick-Off Weekend, as shown in the image below.
Results: Rocket League Kick-Off Weekend
This Rocket League event is essentially three tournaments combined. First, Europe and North America will each hold their own championship finals to decide their top four teams and how they’ll be seeded. Then, the playoffs from the 2026 Kick-Off Weekend will pit those regions against each other, with the goal of qualifying for the Boston Major in February 2026.
EU Open 1 finals
| Lower quarterfinals | Semifinals | Grand final |
|---|---|---|
| Team Vitality vs Gentle Mates | Karmine Corp vs TBD | TBD vs TBD |
| Man City vs NOVO | Ninjas in Pyjamas vs TBD |
NA Open 1 finals
| Lower quarterfinals | Semifinals | Grand final |
|---|---|---|
| FUT Esports vs Shopify Rebellion | [REDACTED] vs TBD | TBD vs TBD |
| 100X35 Esports vs Gen.G | Spacestation vs TBD |
EU vs NA: Final brackets at the Rocket League esports Kick-Off Weekend
| Round 1 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Grand final |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD vs TBD | TBD vs TBD | TBD vs TBD | TBD vs TBD |
| TBD vs TBD | TBD vs TBD |
Final standings
| Placement | Team | Boston Major |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | TBD | + |
| 2nd | TBD | – |
| 3rd–4th | TBD TBD | – |
| 5rd–6th | TBD TBD | – |
| 7rd–8th | TBD TBD | – |
Europe at the start of RLCS 2026: Fresh rosters of the biggest teams
It’s the first regional split without two of the strongest players.
- Evan “M0nkey M00n” Rogez left for Twisted Minds — and he helped his new team win MENA Open 1 (Middle East and North Africa).
- Samy “dralii” Hajji joined Team Falcons during the transfer window ahead of RLCS 2025.
The regional favorites
Karmine Corp, who won the Rocket League World Championship in 2025 and previously included player dralii, is performing strongly in the Open 1 qualifier. They’ve made it to the regional semifinal after successful performances in the Swiss and Group stages, securing their place at the Kick-Off Weekend.
Team Vitality is struggling since M0nkey M00n left. They were defeated by Ninjas in Pyjamas and now need to win against Gentle Mates to qualify for the Kick-Off Weekend.
Ninjas in Pyjamas has a completely revamped team this season, bringing together players previously from Complexity, Dignitas, and Geekay Esports. They’ve already had a strong showing, reaching the regional semifinals, and are confirmed to compete at the RLCS 2026 Kick-Off Weekend.
The current Gentle Mates team consists of Nassim “nass” Bali and Oskar “Oski” Gozdowski, both formerly of NiP, along with Archie “Archie” Pickthall from Geekay Esports.
Newer teams
Manchester City Esports is a Rocket League team owned by the famous Manchester City football club. They acquired the team, formerly known as 2 Danes 1 Bruv, after the players achieved a strong performance, reaching the regional quarterfinals.
Manchester City should compete against a less established team in the European Rocket League esports league. NOVO Esports has updated its team for the new season, and these players have the potential to qualify for the final stage of the Kick-Off Weekend.
Underdogs on the top in North America: New names in the regional RLCS 2026
Quite a few newer teams reached the top placement in the North American Open 1 qualifier.
- The Rocket League World Champions 2025, NRG, lost to [REDACTED] and Gen.G Mobil1 Racing in the Groups Stage.
In the Kick-Off Weekend brackets
This is the first tournament for the newly formed esports team, [REDACTED], which was created just before the RLCS 2026 season. However, the players themselves aren’t new to competitive play. Jayden “2Piece” Horton and Dylan “Wahvey” Thanus previously played for Shopify Rebellion, and Cohen “Tawk” Hawco, while newer to the scene, has experience in regional competitions.
Spacestation Gaming has secured a spot at Kick-Off Weekend, joining another North American team. They’ve recently updated their lineup, adding Nick “Chronic” Iwanski, formerly of The Ultimates, and João “diaz” Henrique, who previously played for Complexity.
Need to qualify
FUT Esports rejoined professional Rocket League competition in early 2025. They rebuilt their team and relocated from Southeast Asia to North America for the next season. Now, they’re competing against Shopify Rebellion for a chance to qualify for the RLCS 2026 Kick-Off Weekend.
Shopify Rebellion is a new Rocket League esports team formed from players previously on The Ultimates and Spacestation Gaming. Doing well in the final matches of the Kick-Off Weekend would be a great start to their season.
100X35 Esports and Gen.G Mobil1 Racing are competing for the final spot in the championship. Many are surprised to see 100X35 Esports performing so well, as they were considered underdogs coming into this stage of the tournament.
Okay, so Gen.G just picked up rise, formerly of Twisted Minds – a really solid move! And honestly, beating NRG at the Kick-Off Weekend was huge. It’s a great sign of what they can do with this new lineup.
The teams that win the Kick-Off Weekend automatically qualify for the Rocket League Major 2025 in Boston. However, other teams can still earn a spot through the regional competitions, which will take place in January and February 2026.
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2025-12-05 13:43