In September 2025, the Rocket League World Championship ended. Almost 10,000 fans attended the event in Lyon-Décines, France, at the LDLC Arena. NRG won the trophy and got $300,000, with their fans cheering and hoping for even more moments like this in the future. With that event coming to a close, Rocket League fans are looking forward to another exciting one: RLCS.
The RLCS kick-off LAN is set to take place in Copenhagen in December. The series will bring new features, such as 2v2 and the inaugural Kick-Off Weekend. Both casual fans and people who make bets on Rocket League betting sites like expekt are eagerly waiting for the event. What can you expect from it, though? Keep reading to find out.
RLCS Kick-Off Weekend LAN
RLCS 2026 has been set to begin in late 2025. It’s the 15th season in the Rocket League Championship Series. The Kick-Off Weekend LAN will unfold from December 5 to December 7, and it’s set to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the BLAST Studios.
After playing Open 1 online, North America and Europe will have the top 6 teams decided per region. Then, they will travel to the BLAST Studios for the Kick-Off LAN. Next, on December 7, the best teams from each region will participate in a single-elimination bracket, competing against each other to qualify for the Major 1.
The team that ends up being the Kick-Off LAN Champion will earn a spot in Major 1. It will also get an additional qualification for their area in the World Championship, Major 1, and Major 2.
What Is the Format of the RLCS 2026 Kick-Off LAN?
The RLCS Kick-Off LAN that takes place in December 2026 will follow a single elimination bracket format. It will have 8 teams, with NA and EU Open 1 Champions getting a spot in the Semifinals. The Open 1 Finalists will also get a place into the event Quarterfinals.
Round 1 and Quarterfinals games are Bo5, while Semifinals and Grand Finals are Bo7.
What Teams Are Likely to Show Up?
At this point, it’s not clear which teams are confirmed to show up in the KickOff LAN Event. However, fans expect to see groups like Team Vitality, Magnifico, or GentleBench.
What Can the Teams Expect from This Event?
After the top 6 teams from Europe and North America compete in Open 1, they will reach the Playoff Stage in a closed studio offline.
The combined twelve teams will go through a Hybrid Elimination stage, which will see the EU and NA Open 1 Champions. Then, on the last day, the best two teams from every area will go to the four-team bracket. That’s where they will compete for the 2026 Regional Slot.
The crowned champion will win a direct spot for Major 1 and also get an extra fifth slot for their region at RL Worlds 2026. Rocket League is likely to announce more exciting things for the Kick-Off LAN soon.
How Does the RLCS Global Strategy Change Moving Forward?
The 2025 event brings new changes to RLCS’s global strategy, and fans immediately took note when they saw the event schedule and rulebook.
RLCS’s core competition will follow the typical 3v3 format. All regions will have three online Opens per Split, which will lead to a Major LAN when each Split comes to an end. So, there will be two Majors across the season.
Then, alongside 1v1, 2v2 will also be an official competition format. Both game modes will lead to unique Opens and be displayed at LANs. The integration of 2v2 comes after 1v1 saw a lot of success last season. Not only that, but the change also allows duos to show off while making room for new team compositions.
The Kick-Off LAN, scheduled for December 5-7, 2025, will set the tone for the next year. Besides, it brings the season’s first inter-regional showdown, so fans from both areas are looking forward to it.
In 2026, there will also be a change to roster eligibility. Every team must have a player majority made up of citizens or residents of the area they represent. That being said, 3-player rosters must have at least two members who meet the region’s citizenship/residency requirements.
Then, when it comes to teams that have a substitute as part of a 4-player lineup, three out of four players must be eligible for their region. This way, it’s possible for teams to maintain their regional integrity.
The Bottom Line
We’re getting closer to the RLCS Kick-Off LAN, which is set to unfold on December 5-7, 2025, in Copenhagen, Denmark. There will be twelve teams going against each other, and the winner will earn a spot in Major 1, as well as an additional Major 2 slot for their area.
Fans are excited to find out which teams are going to compete. There will be more news soon, so keep an eye on Rocket League.
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