The Overwatch World Cup has returned after multiple years of downtime, bringing together 16 national teams for a global tournament. Following months of preparation, the main competition kicks off with the group stage in Busan, South Korea, before concluding with the finals in the United States.
Quick Facts
- Group Stage: August 20 to August 23 at the Busan Esports Arena (BRENA) in Busan, South Korea.
- Finals: September 12 to September 13 at BlizzCon in Anaheim, California.
- Format: 16 teams divided into four groups play a single round-robin first-to-three series, advancing the top two teams per group to a single-elimination playoff.
- Platforms: Multi-platform event with matches broadcast on YouTube and Twitch.
Group Stage and Teams
The 16 competing countries are split into four distinct groups for the round-robin stage:
- Group A: China, United States, Sweden, Japan
- Group B: Saudi Arabia, Australia, Mexico, Great Britain
- Group C: Canada, Germany, Thailand, Spain
- Group D: France, South Korea, Denmark, Colombia
Matches run from August 19 through August 23, with the top two teams from each group securing their place in the next round.
Finals at BlizzCon
The eight advancing teams move on to the single-elimination finals bracket at BlizzCon in Anaheim, California, running from September 12 to September 13. Because the playoff bracket uses a single-elimination format, surviving teams have no second chances on their path to claiming the World Cup trophy.
Broadcast and Rewards
Viewers can watch the tournament from home via the official YouTube and Twitch Overwatch Esports channels. Additionally, Blizzard has confirmed Twitch Drops and in-game events will run during the tournament to support participating regions and teams.