CHALLENGERS • 2025-2026
SEASON TIMELINE
Your guide to Cups, Elite, and Majors—from weekly qualifiers to Championship Sunday.
SEASON OVERVIEW
Season Start
Dec 5, 2025
Season End
Jul 19, 2026
Cups End
Jun 19, 2026
COMPETITION TIERS
| Tier | Format | Eligibility | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challengers Cups | Weekly online tournaments | Open to all teams | $2,500 (NA/EU) |
| Challengers Elite | 4-stage league season | Top 12 teams per region | $57,000/stage |
| Challengers Open | LAN at CDL Majors | Qualified teams | TBD |
| Pro-Am Classic | Major 3 in Atlanta | Top Challengers teams | TBD |
CDL MAJORS & OPENS
Major 1+ OPEN
Dallas, TX
Challengers Dallas Open alongside CDL Major hosted by OpTic Texas
Major 2+ OPEN
Birmingham, UK
Challengers Birmingham Open at DreamHack - CDL returns to UK
Major 3 + Pro-Am+ OPEN
Atlanta, GA
Pro-Am Classic: Top Challengers teams vs 12 CDL franchises
Major 4+ OPEN
Paris, France
Challengers Paris Open alongside CDL Major
Championship+ OPEN
Las Vegas, NV
Challengers Finals hosted by FaZe Vegas
CHALLENGERS ELITE STAGES
| Stage | Qualifier | League Play | Playoffs | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elite 1 | Jan 3-4 | Jan 7-20 | Jan 22 | $57,000 |
| Elite 2 | TBD | TBD | Mar 19 | $57,000 |
| Elite 3 | TBD | TBD | May 7 | $57,000 |
| Elite 4 | TBD | TBD | Jun 18 | $57,000 |
ELITE FORMAT
WEEKLY CUP SCHEDULE
| Region | Day | Start Time | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Saturday | 1:00 PM ET | $2,500 |
| Europe + ME | Saturday | 12:00 PM GMT | $2,500 |
| Asia Pacific | Sunday | 2:00 PM JST | $1,500 |
| Latin America | Sunday | 2:00 PM BRT | $1,500 |
CUP FORMAT
COMPETITIVE MAP POOL
Hardpoint
Rotating objective mode. Teams fight to hold a "hill" that moves every 60 seconds. First to 250 points wins.
Search & Destroy
Tactical elimination mode. One life per round. Attack plants bomb, defense defuses. First to 6 round wins.
Overload
New for Black Ops 7, replacing Control. Teams fight to capture and hold a single zone. First to 3 captures wins.
| Map | Hardpoint | S&D | Overload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackheart | ● | — | — |
| Colossus | ● | ● | — |
| Den | ● | ● | ● |
| Exposure | ● | ● | ● |
| Raid | — | ● | — |
| Scar | ● | ● | ● |