Reading the calendar
A tournament calendar is rarely just a list of dates. Each entry carries a regional identity, a format rule, a prize-pool tier and a broadcasting partner — and those details shape how the bracket will read when the matches begin. Our editors normalise the entries so the calendar reads the same way across all five covered circuits.
Where a regional split and a global bracket run in parallel, both are listed. Where a single organiser runs two circuits under the same umbrella, we list the circuits separately rather than collapsing them. Where a prize pool is undisclosed, the field reads "TBA" rather than estimated.
Tier classification
Tier S events are the marquee circuits: multi-region, multi-week, with a prize pool above $200k and a confirmed broadcast. Tier A events run shorter formats but still operate across multiple regions. Tier B events are strong regional circuits; Tier C events are open qualifiers, showmatches or single-region developmental brackets.
The classification matters because it tells you where to weight the editorial coverage. A Tier S playoff demands the desk's weekly column; a Tier C open qualifier gets a single paragraph in the daily notes.
Regional breakdown
The five covered circuits each operate within roughly five regions: NA-W, EU-W, APAC, LATAM, EU-N. Within each region, organisers run their own split schedule — spring, summer, autumn and winter — with a global major at the end of each quarter. Where a region collapses or merges, our desk notes the change but keeps the historical entries so the calendar remains a verifiable record.
Regional splits carry their own broadcast partners. Our desk tracks who holds the rights in each region and notes the restrictions rather than re-routing viewers to unverified mirrors. Coverage is editorial, not rebroadcast.
Quick reference
Prize pools
Prize pools are reported as disclosed. Where an organiser publishes a base pool with a stretch-goal crowdfunding overlay, we list the base pool and note the overlay. Where a pool is undisclosed, the field reads "TBA". We do not estimate, because editorial coverage depends on verifiable numbers — once an estimate enters the calendar, the calendar loses its source weight.
Format glossary
Formats on this calendar follow the standard esports lexicon: single elimination, double elimination, round robin, Swiss, group stage plus playoffs, open qualifier plus playoffs. Where a circuit introduces a non-standard format — a play-in gauntlet, a regional lock-in, a promotion-relegation structure — the desk notes the deviation in the entry rather than silently absorbing it into the calendar.
- Single elimination: one loss ends the run; used in shorter Tier C brackets.
- Double elimination: losers' bracket gives a second life; standard for Tier S playoffs.
- Round robin: every roster plays every other; used for invitationals and round-robin groups.
- Swiss: paired rounds with same-record matchups; rising in Tier A open qualifiers.
- Group + playoffs: a stage phase feeds into a knockout phase; standard format for regional splits.
How we verify
Every tournament entry cites its primary source — an organiser page, a regional press release, a verified social post. Where the source is a third-party tracker, the desk notes that as well. Corrections are published openly on the standards page; we do not edit entries silently.
The verification chain is the reason a calendar is more useful than a feed: a feed says what happened yesterday, a calendar says what is coming and what to trust about it.
Calendar reading tips
When a calendar carries thirty entries, it can feel noisy. The desk's advice is to filter by tier first, then by region, then by format. A Tier S entry in your home region is the editorial centre of gravity for the week; everything else is connective tissue.
Where two Tier S events run in the same week across different circuits, our desk treats them as parallel coverage rather than competing — readers who follow both circuits should be able to read both without the calendar choosing one over the other.
Frequently asked
How often is the calendar refreshed?
Weekly. New entries and corrections are mirrored within 60 minutes of the underlying announcement where possible.
Do you include showmatches?
Only when the organiser publishes a verifiable format. Exhibition matches without a published rule set are excluded.
How do I submit a correction?
Via the corrections desk. Where you can cite a primary source, the correction will be mirrored and credited.