the challenger circuit for newcomers

Formerly known as the Challenger Series, the Challenger Circuit will open its gates in North America on May 22^nd. If you don't know what it is, don't worry, we have you covered.

The Challenger Circuit is the road to becoming a professional R6 player, and this year it will consist of a series of high-end tournaments that will happen throughout the year and give its top performers a chance to qualify directly for an advanced stage of the Challenger Finals in early 2027, positioning your team as front-runners for the North America Regional League promotion.

This year, the Element Series and the newly added  NA Open Cup will be the reference tournaments to earn these spots for the North America region. Nevertheless, more tournaments affiliated with the Challenger Circuit might be announced throughout the year.

To put it simply, there are more chances to qualify for the Challenger Finals in advanced stages, more tournaments in North America, LAN events, and, of course, more Siege!

the element series is back

We've had some great Tier 2 seasons in North America, led by the Element Series since 2023. After six seasons, the Element series returns once more, looking to bridge the gap between amateur and professional play.

This year, the tournament will focus on just one season instead of two and link players not only to the Challenger Finals but also to our new NA Open Cup.

You can expect Element 2026 to arrive in Challengermode this June with more at stake than ever before, as teams will be playing for a $30,000 prize pool and the champion team will also receive the following:

• Direct invite to the 2026 NA Open Cup Playoffs
• Direct invite to the 2027 SI LCQ
• Direct invite to the 2027 Challenger Series

This revamped edition will have the following format and dates:

• Open Qualifiers - Double Elimination Bracket Bo1:
  • Qualifier 1: May 22^nd to the 24^th
  • Qualifier 2: May 29^th to the 31^st
• Group Phase - 2 Groups of 8 Teams in Single Round Robin Bo1:
  • Dates: June 4^th to July 1^st
  • 8 teams from Open Qualifiers
  • 2 Collegiate teams invited
  • 6 Tier 2 teams invited
• Element Finals - Double Elimination Bracket Bo3
  • Top 4, 5 and 6 Play-ins: July 21^th and 22^th
  • 8 teams Final Bracket July 23^th to 26^th

The group phase and the Element finals will be broadcast on the Rainbow6Bravo and Rainbow6NA Twitch channels, so stay tuned for all the info and schedule to watch it live.

introducing the na open cup

Do you miss LAN events, gathering along with your fellow R6 heads and having the chance to become a champion in front of a crowd? Get ready to create your own hero arc and become a star of tomorrow or the villain who crushes others' dreams while you rise to the top. We want to know your story, and the NA Open Cup is here to be written by you.

Starting in June, LAN events are coming back to the US and Canada, with four different locations hosting the NA Open Cup Qualifiers. You and your team will be able to join and meet face to face with other players and look for a spot to qualify for the NA Cup LAN Finals in New York.

All the details regarding the format and locations for the NA Open Cup  will be announced in the upcoming months; in the meantime, we can spoil that each LAN will have a $10,000 USD prize pool, while the finals will have a $15,000 prize pool up for grabs. Not only that, becoming a champion will grant your team access to the following:

• Direct invite to the 2027 SI LCQ
• Direct invite to the 2027 Challenger Series

nal partner tournaments

On top of our official competitions, Partner Tournaments run by third party tournament organizers are eligible to be integrated into the Challenger Circuit ecosystem by giving spots into Challenger Series advanced phases.

Want to be a partner? You can apply on our Tournament Platform following the instructions on the site with any R6 tournament you have in mind, but if you want to opt for it to be eligible for the Challenger Circuit you must consider the following:

• Partnered secondary tournaments must abide by secondary circuit tournament rules
• Circuit tournaments must take place between May - October 2026
• Must be on PC
• Not all tournaments will be eligible, and Ubisoft will review each tournament to ensure it is the right fit for the circuit.

nal challenger circuit 2026 summary

Element Six

• $30,000 USD prize pool, starting in May 22nd, 2026
• Champion team gets access to:
  • The final stage of the NA Open Cup
  • Advanced stages of the Challenger Finals 2027
  • Advanced stages of the Six Invitational 2027 LCQ

NA Cup

• 4 LAN Opens - $40,000 USD prize pool ($10,000 each), starting in June 2026
• 1 LAN Open along the Finals - $15,000 USD prize pool, October 2026
• Champion team gets access to:
  • Advanced stages of the Challenger Finals 2027
  • Advanced stages of the Six Invitational 2027 LCQ

nal grassroots tournaments

Last but not least, everyone starts somewhere. For that, North America has the Collegiate Program and the Seasonal Series where you and your teammates can compete through the year and get prepared for the Challenger Circuit. For more information on R6 NA grassroots tournaments please consult the following links:

• Collegiate Program NA: Rainbow Six Collegiate
• Seasonal Series NA: https://www.challengermode.com/s/BR6NAL

stay connected

Don't miss out on any news regarding the NAL Challenger Circuit by following us on social media in https://x.com/R6esportsNA and catching up with the most recent information regarding Rainbow Six Esports here: http://www.rainbow6.com/esports.