RLCS Club Championship 2026: $2.5M Prize Pool, 4 Open Qualifier Spots and London Dates

Rocket League has announced a brand-new competition called the RLCS Club Championship, separate from the familiar Major structure, with a $2.5 million total prize pool. The competition begins with a London kickoff from December 9–13, 2026 and starts with 24 clubs: 20 will receive direct invitations, while the final four spots will be decided through an Open Online Qualifier beginning in November. That open route is the key detail for players and clubs outside the invite list. However, Psyonix has not yet published the qualifier sign-up link, eligibility rules, exact qualifier dates or regional slot distribution. This guide separates what is officially confirmed from what you still need to wait for before registering.

1) What is the RLCS Club Championship?

It is a new Rocket League esports competition that sits outside the Major structure fans already know. The official announcement describes a multi-stage club competition: a kickoff event in London, regional online league play after that, and a Club Finale LAN in 2027. In other words, this is not a one-weekend exhibition. It creates a separate competitive path for clubs that continues after the December event.

2) How many clubs will play?

The London kickoff will feature 24 clubs. Psyonix plans to invite 20 clubs directly, leaving four places for teams that come through the Open Online Qualifier. For non-invited organizations, those four slots are the practical route into the new competition. Psyonix has not yet said whether the four slots will be divided by region or awarded through one global qualification structure.

3) When does the Open Online Qualifier start?

The only confirmed timing so far is that the Open Online Qualifier begins in November 2026. Psyonix has not published the exact start day, registration deadline, qualifier rounds or session times. Any exact date circulating now needs a newer official source before you rely on it. Rocket League says full qualifier details, including sign-up and eligibility, will arrive before the qualifier opens.

4) Is registration open now?

The current official announcement does not provide a registration link for the Club Championship Open Qualifier. Rocket League explicitly says sign-up and eligibility details will be announced before it opens. That matters because a third-party tournament page, Discord form or payment request should not be treated as official registration unless Rocket League Esports links to it directly in the upcoming qualifier announcement.

5) London dates and venue

The Club Championship Kickoff runs December 9–13, 2026 at Copper Box Arena in London. A live audience will be welcomed from December 11–13. Ticket information has not been published yet and is promised for a later announcement. For competitors, London is the launch point for the 24-club competition rather than the final endpoint of the entire Club Championship.

6) What happens after London?

After the kickoff, clubs move into regional online league play. That stage will determine the 16 teams that reach the Club Finale LAN in 2027. The announcement does not yet specify the league format, number of rounds, points system or Club Finale dates. Qualifying through the open path therefore means more than reaching one London event; it puts a club into a longer route toward the 2027 finale.

7) How much prize money is available?

Rocket League confirms a $2.5 million total prize pool for the Club Championship. It has not yet published a placement-by-placement payout table or said how much of the pool belongs to the kickoff, regional league play or Club Finale. Do not read $2.5 million as the winner's prize or as a guaranteed amount for open-qualifier teams. The confirmed number is the competition-wide total.

8) Is this part of the normal RLCS 2026 Major path?

It is part of the RLCS/Rocket League esports ecosystem, but the announcement says the Club Championship sits apart from the Major structure. The standard 2026 season used Opens, Majors and RLCS points on the road to Worlds. Club Championship introduces its own kickoff, regional league play and Club Finale. You should not assume ordinary Major qualification points or rules automatically carry into this event.

9) What are the eligibility rules?

As of September 28, 2026, the official announcement has not published the Open Online Qualifier eligibility rules. There is no confirmed Club Championship-specific minimum age in the announcement, no final region list, no residency rule, no confirmed roster requirement and no published platform restriction for the qualifier. Psyonix may use familiar RLCS concepts, but copying a different event's rules would be speculation.

10) What should prospective teams do now?

Organize your roster and club logistics, but wait for the official qualifier package before locking decisions. Monitor Rocket League's Competitive hub and official esports channels. When the sign-up link appears, verify the organizer, official domain, eligible regions, deadline, roster lock, account requirements and substitution rules before submitting player information.

11) What should the next announcement answer?

The five biggest missing pieces are the official registration link, registration opening and closing dates, player/club eligibility, how the four open slots are distributed, and the qualifier format. Teams will also need roster size, seeding, match format and substitute rules. Once those details are published, the topic becomes suitable for a full registration guide; for now, the key actionable fact is that four open spots are real and qualification begins in November.

Confirmed so far

• New competition: RLCS Club Championship.
• Total prize pool: $2.5 million.
• 24 clubs at the kickoff.
• 20 clubs receive direct invitations.
• 4 clubs qualify through an Open Online Qualifier.
• The Open Qualifier starts in November 2026.
• London kickoff runs December 9–13.
• Live audience at Copper Box Arena December 11–13.
• Regional online league play follows London.
• 16 teams advance to a Club Finale LAN in 2027.
• Registration link, eligibility and qualifier format are not yet published.