The Call of Duty League Championship, affectionately referred to as ‘COD Champs’, is almost here, and it’s time to get your affairs in order. This could be one of the most-watched COD Champs events in years, especially if the recent success of Major 4 is anything to go by.
For COD Champs 2026, eight of the best Call of Duty teams in the business will descend upon Las Vegas, battling for the lion’s share of a massive $2 million prize pool. It might only last four days, but it’s the biggest tournament in Call of Duty, and below, you can learn everything you need to know about the upcoming spectacle.
COD Champs 2026 Schedule and Format
The Call of Duty League Championship starts on July 16th and runs until July 19th, so, as I said, it’s a short-form tournament. It will welcome eight CDL teams to a double-elimination bracket, which is stock-standard for the Call of Duty League.
Every match will be a best-of-five bout, except for the grand final, which will feature a massive best-of-nine clash between two organizations.
Here are the first matches of the COD Champs 2026 schedule:
- Toronto KOI vs. Paris Gentle Mates
- Riyadh Falcons vs. LA Thieves
- G2 Minnesota vs. FaZe Vegas
- Miami Heretics vs. OpTic Texas
And here’s the breakdown of the prize pool for this tournament:
- 1st Place: $800,000
- 2nd Place: $480,000
- 3rd Place: $320,000
- 4th Place: $160,000
- 5th – 6th Place: $80,000
- 7th – 8th Place: $40,000
Last year, it was OpTic Texas that claimed the number-one spot, securing back-to-back COD Champs wins in Canada. At Major 4, which wrapped mere days ago, the team lifted another trophy.
COD Champs 2026 Teams Qualified
Eight teams have managed to qualify for the Call of Duty League Championship, and it’s one hell of a lineup:
- OpTic Texas
- Toronto KOI
- Paris Gentle Mates
- Riyadh Falcons
- LA Thieves
- FaZe Vegas
- Miami Heretics
- G2 Minnesota
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How to Watch Call of Duty League Championship
You can watch the Call of Duty League Championship via the usual channels, but bear in mind that you typically get more stream-related rewards on Twitch:
COD Champs 2026 Predictions
If I were a betting man, my money would be on OpTic Texas or LA Thieves in close second. It has been a wild year for all teams involved, but these two squads have really shown up in force. LA Thieves managed to break the series win record this season, and net a Major win – and almost more than one.
OpTic Texas has remained mostly consistent all season and finished at the top of the CDL standings. I’m part of that Green Wall, and if OpTic Texas could win, it would be the coveted threepeat, and it would cement the organization even further in the annals of esports history.
FaZe Vegas was looking fairly sharp but seemed to slow a bit as the season came to an end, being replaced in the prediction stakes by perhaps the Paris Gentle Mates.
The other end of the spectrum is represented by underdog sides that could make a run, like Riyadh Falcons and G2 Minnesota, and Miami Heretics sits firmly in the middle of the road as probably the most disruptive dark horse in the space right now.
Ultimately, I’m predicting an OpTic Texas vs. LA Thieves grand final, with OpTic securing the trophy, the threepeat, and a spot in the history books… Again.
Which team do you think will win the Call of Duty League Championship this year? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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