BLAST R6 Kickoff 2026

As we move from Six Invitational 2026, we look forward to the next chapter of R6 Esports in 2026, the Salt Lake City BLAST R6 May Major. To get there we are introducing the Season Kickoff Stage for each region to qualify their best teams.

Here you will find all the information you need from format, schedule, prize pool, and qualification games.

The APL Kickoff will be a Double Elimination bracket with random seeding. The format for each APL regions will be as follows.

March 29th

• Match 1 (12:00 AEST) - Barbie Boys vs Entreprise

• Match 2 (15:00 AEST) - Team Anios vs Chiefs Esports Club

• Match 3 (18:00 AEST) - Man LFO vs Rock LFO

April 5th

• Match 4 (12:00 AEST) - Sahaiikademy vs 6Targets Esports

The winner of Oceania Kickoff Grand Final will be qualified to the Salt Lake City BLAST R6 May Major.

Oceania Kickoff matches will be played every Sunday at 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00 AEST from March 29th to April 26th (5 playdays).

March 28th

• Match 1 (15:00 SGT) - Weibo Gaming vs Fury

• Match 2 (18:00 SGT) - Soul'd Heart vs Daystar

• Match 3 (21:00 SGT) - Dolphin Esport vs Elevate

April 4th

• Match 4 (15:00 SGT) - SIX7EVEN vs Seventh Heaven

The two teams present AT the Asia Kickoff Grand Final will be qualified to the Salt Lake City BLAST R6 May Major.

Asia Kickoff matches will be played every Saturday at 15:00, 18:00 and 21:00 SGT from March 28th to April 25th (5 playdays).

March 27th

• Match 1 (13:00 JST) - Former PSG roster vs Kinotrope

• Match 2 (16:00 JST) - BNX FearX vs ScarZ

• Match 3 (19:00 JST) - Ex E.36 vs CAG Osaka

April 3rd

• Match 4 (13:00 JST) - Can You Be My Enemy vs Dplus Kia

The winner of APAC North Kickoff Grand Final will be qualified to the Salt Lake City BLAST R6 May Major.

APL NORTH Kickoff matches will be played every Friday at 13:00, 16:00 and 19:00 JST from March 27th to April 24th (5 playdays).

In each subregion of APL, Prizepool will be as follows:

• 1st : $4,500.00 / 240 SI points

• 2nd : $3,000.00 / 175 SI points

• 3rd : $2,500.00 / 140 SI points

• 4th : $1,500.00 / 115 SI points

• 5th : $1,100.00 / 100 SI points

• 6th : $1,100.00 / 80 SI points

• 7th : $650.00 / 60 SI points

• 8th : $650.00 / 40 SI points

The NAL Kickoff will start with a group stage with 2 groups following a robin round format.

Round 1: April 1st

• Group A Match 1 (17:00 ET) - 100 Thieves vs Five Fears

• Group A Match 2 (18:00 ET) - Shopify Rebellion vs Footlockers Finest

• Group B Match 1 (19:00 ET) - Spacestation Gaming vs DarkZero Esports

• Group B Match 2 (20:00 ET) - Wildcard Gaming vs TrevMark & Co

Round 2: April 2nd

• Group B Match 1 (17:00 ET) - DarkZero Esports vs Cloud9

• Group A Match 1 (18:00 ET)- Shopify Rebellion vs 100 Thieves

• Group A Match 2 (19:00 ET) - M80 vs Footlockers Finest

• Group B Match 2 (20:00 ET) - Spacestation Gaming vs Wildcard Gaming

Round 3: April 3rd

• Group A Match 1 (17:00 ET) - M80 vs Five Fears

• Group A Match 2 (18:00 ET) - Footlockers Finest vs 100 Thieves

• Group B Match 1 (19:00 ET) - DarkZero Esports vs TrevMark & Co

• Group B Match 2 (20:00 ET) - Spacestation Gaming vs Cloud9

Round 4: April 9th

• Group A Match 1 (17:00 ET) - Shopify Rebellion vs Five Fears

• Group A Match 2 (18:00 ET) - M80 vs 100 Thieves

• Group B Match 1 (19:00 ET) - Cloud9 vs TrevMark & Co

• Group B Match 2 (20:00 ET) - Wildcard Gaming vs DarkZero Esports

Round 5: April 10th

• Group B Match 1 (17:00 ET) - Wildcard Gaming vs Cloud9

• Group A Match 1 (18:00 ET) - Five Fears vs Footlockers Finest

• Group A Match 2 (19:00 ET) - M80 vs Shopify Rebellion

• Group B Match 2 (20:00 ET) - Spacestation Gaming vs TrevMark & Co

Every match played in the Group Stage will be a Best Of 1.

The first 4 teams of each group will qualify for the NAL Kickoff playoffs. Each 1st seed from each group will have a bye in for the playoffs.

NAL Kickoff Group Stage matches will be played at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 ET from April 1st  to April 10th (5 playdays).

Each match played in the Playoffs will be a Best Of 3.

The first 4 teams present for the Upper and Lower Finals will be qualified for the Salt Lake City BLAST R6 May Major.

NAL Kickoff Playoffs matches will be played at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 ET from April 1st  to April 10th (5 playdays).

NAL Kickoff Prizepool will be as follow:

• 1st : $12,000.00 / 240 SI points

• 2nd : $8,000.00 / 175 SI points

• 3rd : $5,500.00 / 140 SI points

• 4th : $4,500.00 / 115 SI points

• 5th : $3,250.00 / 100 SI points

• 6th : $3,250.00 / 80 SI points

• 7th : $2,250.00 / 60 SI points

• 8th : $2,250.00 / 40 SI points

• 9th : $2,000.00 / 20 SI points

• 10th : $2,000.00 / 0 SI points

The NAL Kickoff will start with a group stage with 2 groups following a robin round format.

Round 1: March 31st

• Group A Match 1 (18:00 BRT) - FAZE vs LOS

• Group A Match 2 (19:15 BRT) - TL ALIENWARE vs BD

• Group B Match 1 (20:30 BRT) - FLUXO W7M vs LOUD

• Group B Match 2 (21:45 BRT) - FURIA vs NIP

Round 2: April 4th

• Group A Match 1 (13:00 BRT) - BD vs Imperial Esports

• Group A Match 2 (14:15 BRT) - LOS vs TL ALIENWARE

• Group B Match 1 (15:30 BRT) - NIP vs FLUXO W7M

• Group B Match 2 (16:45 BRT) - LOUD vs INTZ

Round 3: April 5th

• Group A Match 1 (13:00 BRT) - Imperial Esports vs LOS

• Group A Match 2 (14:15 BRT) - TL ALIENWARE vs FAZE

• Group B Match 1 (15:30 BRT) - INTZ vs NIP

• Group B Match 2 (16:45 BRT) - FLUXO W7M vs FURIA

Round 4: April 7th

• Group A Match 1 (18:00 BRT) - LOS vs BD

• Group A Match 2 (19:15 BRT) - FAZE vs Imperial Esports

• Group B Match 1 (20:30 BRT) - FURIA vs INTZ

• Group B Match 2 (21:45 BRT) - NIP vs LOUD

Round 5: April 11th

• Group A Match 1 (13:00 BRT) - Imperial Esports vs TL ALIENWARE

• Group A Match 2 (14:15 BRT) - BD vs FAZE

• Group B Match 1 (15:30 BRT) - INTZ vs FLUXO W7M

• Group B Match 2 (16:45 BRT) - LOUD vs FURIA

Every match played in the Group Stage will be a Best Of 1.

The first 4 teams of each group will qualify for the SAL Kickoff playoffs. Each 1st seed from each group will have a bye in for the playoffs.

SAL Kickoff Group Stage matches will be played at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 ET from March 31st  to April 11th (5 playdays).

Each match played in the Playoffs will be a Best Of 3.

The first 4 teams present for the Upper and Lower Finals will be qualified for the Salt Lake City BLAST R6 May Major.

SAL Kickoff Playoffs matches will be played on April 12th, 14th, 18th and 19th (4 playdays).

SAL Kickoff Prizepool will be as follow:

• 1st : $12,000.00 / 240 SI points

• 2nd : $8,000.00 / 175 SI points

• 3rd : $5,500.00 / 140 SI points

• 4th : $4,500.00 / 115 SI points

• 5th : $3,250.00 / 100 SI points

• 6th : $3,250.00 / 80 SI points

• 7th : $2,250.00 / 60 SI points

• 8th : $2,250.00 / 40 SI points

• 9th : $2,000.00 / 20 SI points

• 10th : $2,000.00 / 0 SI points

The EML Kickoff will start with a group stage with 2 groups following a robin round format.

Round 1: March 30th

• Group A Match 1 (18:00 CEST) - SHIFTERS vs TEAM HERETICS

• Group B Match 1 (19:00 CEST) - GEEKAY ESPORTS vs EX-TEAM SECRET ACA

• Group A Match 2 (20:00 CEST) - FNATIC vs VIRTUS.PRO

• Group B Match 2 (21:00 CEST) - TEAM SECRET vs TWISTED MINDS

Round 2: March 31st

• Group A Match 1 (18:00 CEST) - FNATIC vs TEAM HERETICS

• Group B Match 1 (19:00 CEST) - GEEKAY ESPORTS vs TWISTED MINDS

• Group A Match 2 (20:00 CEST) - VIRTUS.PRO vs G2 ESPORTS

• Group B Match 2 (21:00 CEST) - EX-TEAM SECRET ACA vs TEAM FALCONS

Round 3: April 6th

• Group A Match 1 (18:00 CEST) - TEAM HERETICS vs G2 ESPORTS

• Group B Match 1 (19:00 CEST) - TEAM FALCONS vs TWISTED MINDS

• Group B Match 2 (20:00 CEST) - GEEKAY ESPORTS vs TEAM SECRET

• Group A Match 2 (21:00 CEST) - FNATIC vs SHIFTERS

Round 4: April 7th

• Group B Match 1 (18:00 CEST) - TWISTED MINDS vs EX-TEAM SECRET ACA

• Group B Match 2 (19:00 CEST) - TEAM FALCONS vs TEAM SECRET

• Group A Match 1 (20:00 CEST) - G2 ESPORTS vs SHIFTERS

• Group A Match 2 (21:00 CEST) - VIRTUS.PRO vs TEAM HERETICS

Round 5: April 8th

• Group B Match 1 (18:00 CEST) - TEAM SECRET vs EX-TEAM SECRET ACA

• Group B Match 2 (19:00 CEST) - TEAM FALCONS vs GEEKAY ESPORTS

• Group A Match 1 (20:00 CEST) - G2 ESPORTS vs FNATIC

• Group A Match 2 (21:00 CEST) - SHIFTERS vs VIRTUS.PRO

Every match played in the Group Stage will be a Best Of 1.

The first 4 teams of each group will qualify for the EML Kickoff playoffs. Each 1st seed from each group will have a bye in for the playoffs.

EML Kickoff Group Stage matches will be played at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 ET from March 30th to April 8th (5 playdays).

Each match played in the Playoffs will be a Best Of 3.

The first 4 teams present for the Upper and Lower Finals will be qualified for the Salt Lake City BLAST R6 May Major.

EML Kickoff Playoffs matches will be played at 17:00, 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 ET from April 13st  to April 17th (4 playdays).

EML Kickoff Prizepool will be as follow:

• 1st : $12,000.00 / 240 SI points

• 2nd : $8,000.00 / 175 SI points

• 3rd : $5,500.00 / 140 SI points

• 4th : $4,500.00 / 115 SI points

• 5th : $3,250.00 / 100 SI points

• 6th : $3,250.00 / 80 SI points

• 7th : $2,250.00 / 60 SI points

• 8th : $2,250.00 / 40 SI points

• 9th : $2,000.00 / 20 SI points

• 10th : $2,000.00 / 0 SI points

Every match of the R6 Kickoff 2026 will be broadcasted on the official R6 channel on Twitch:

https://www.twitch.tv/rainbow6 / https://www.twitch.tv/rainbow6jp / https://www.twitch.tv/rainbow6br / https://www.twitch.tv/rainbow6fr

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