The Call of Duty League’s Major 3 tournament draws closer, and it’s set to shake up the competitive season. As one of the most ambitious and sizeable events in the calendar, Major 3 introduces a new format, a $365,000 prize pool, and a spot for COD fans in North America to enjoy the action live at DreamHack Atlanta.
What makes Major 3 more important is that it’s a Pro-Am event, set to feature the talents of four Challengers teams, all well worth a shot at the title. Below, you’ll find out everything you need to know about the Call of Duty League’s Major 3 tournament.
CDL Major 3 2026 Schedule and Format
Major 3 is set to run from May 15th to May 17th. It’s a short-form event, but there’s plenty of meat on the bones, including a Pro-Am element and a group stage, which is very rare in the Call of Duty space.
Here’s how it all works:
Group Stage
- 16 teams competing (12 COD League and four Challengers teams)
- Four GSL groups represented by four teams apiece
- Best-of-five format
- The top two teams in each group enter the Playoffs
Playoffs
- Traditional double-elimination bracket
- Best-of-five series format
- Best-of-seven series for the Grand Final
The prize distribution is as follows:
- 1st Place: $150,000
- 2nd Place: $90,000
- 3rd Place: $50,000
- 4th Place: $30,000
- 5th – 6th Place: $15,000
- 7th – 8th Place: $7,500
- 9th – 16th Place: $0
Here’s a better look at the CDL Major 3 schedule:
Friday, May 15
- Group Stage Matches
Saturday, May 16
- Winner’s & Loser’s Bracket (inc. Finals)
Sunday, May 17
- Grand Final only
COD League Major 3 Teams (Including Challengers)
As I’ve explained, sixteen teams are competing at Major 3, but for some, it’ll be a one-series-and-done kind of weekend.
Here’s the spread of teams going into Major 3, with the CDL organizations ranked as they were in the standings at the time of writing:
- OpTic Texas
- LA Thieves
- Toronto KOI
- FaZe Vegas
- Paris Gentle Mates
- Riyadh Falcons
- Vancouver Surge
- G2 Minnesota
- Carolina Royal Ravens
- Miami Heretics
- Cloud9 New York
- Boston Breach
- Huntsmen
- OMiT Noir
- P7 Notorious
- ROC Esports
How to Watch CDL Major 3 at DreamHack
If you’re not at DreamHack Atlanta, you can watch the third Major of the season via the usual channels:
CDL Major 3 2026 Predictions
OpTic Texas approaches the third Major of the 2026 season in white-hot form, and the squad is looking for a slick redemption story after failing at the last post against FaZe Vegas at DreamHack Birmingham.
Behind OpTic Texas, LA Thieves is the next big team in the predictions stakes, with the ‘Super Team‘ hunting a trophy, the likes of which has avoided the organization for almost a year, not counting the recent CDL Minor win.
Of course, those participating in some Call of Duty betting will want to watch out for the odds tied to those Challengers teams. Both ROC and P7 put up a phenomenal performance at DreamHack Birmingham, and P7 in particular has something to prove.
The P7 squad is represented entirely by former COD League talent, including some of the most recent removals from the top tier, Beans and Snoopy.
To play it safe, back an obvious team like OpTic, LAT, or even FaZe Vegas. If you want wild odds, hit up an outsider.
Are you going to be tuning into the CDL Major 3 action when it starts? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that the World Series of Warzone is back
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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