📝 OWCS 2026 Stage 1 Korea preview

After a long off-season, Overwatch Champions Series Korea is about to get underway.

Stage 1 of the season will feature a stacked lineup of OWCS Partner Teams and qualified contenders, all fighting for a share of the prize pool and ultimately, qualification for the Champions Clash in Tokyo.

The format will remain unchanged from 2025. Teams will compete in a round-robin regular season, followed by playoff seeding matches and last-chance qualifiers that will run simultaneously for the top four teams and the next four teams, respectively. The regional playoffs that follow will determine the four teams that qualify for the OWCS Asia Championship for the chance to qualify for the first major international of the year.

Crazy Raccoon

Crazy Raccoon roster:

• Park “JunBin” Jun-bin - Tank
• Choi “MAX” Su-min - Tank
• Chae “HeeSang” Hee-sang - DPS
• Lee “LIP” Jae-won - DPS
• Jeong “Stalk3r” Hak-yong - DPS
• Kom “vigilante” Joon - Support
• Sung “CH0R0NG” Yoo-min - Support
• Moon “Moon” Byng-chul - Head coach
• Son “Kong” Jun-young

The reigning OWCS Korea champions enter 2026 after a flawless domestic campaign in 2025, winning all three stages and finishing third internationally at the World Finals in Stockholm. Despite their success, they made bold, but potentially risky, changes during the off-season.

Fan-favourite veteran Shu departed the roster, replaced by vigilante. While vigilante brings a similar hero pool, his higher proficiency on Kiriko could shift the team’s identity.

The biggest move of the off-season came in the signing of Stalk3r from Team Falcons. A world-class flex DPS, Stalk3r’s arrival gives Crazy Raccoon an embarrassment of riches in DPS. The challenge now lies in managing three elite DPS players across two starting roles.

Crazy Raccoon’s identity remains rooted in elite dive compositions, led by JunBin’s Wrecking Ball, which is still one of the most defining picks in the region. At the same time, MAX’s continued development has helped round out the team’s flexibility in slower compositions.

A shaky start at the Pre-Season Bootcamp raised eyebrows, but the team quickly rebounded, defeating Team Falcons en route to a second-place finish at the preseason tournament. While their loss to Twisted Minds exposed some cracks, Crazy Raccoon still enter 2026 as the team to beat domestically.

T1

T1 roster:

• Kim “D0NGHAK” Min-sung - Tank
• Jeong “Jasm1ne” Jong-min - Tank
• Hong “Proud” Suk-jin - DPS
• Kim “ZEST” Hyun-woo - DPS
• Kim “Bliss” So-myung - Support
• Kim “skewed” Min-seok - Support
• Yun “RUSH” Hee-won - Head Coach
• Kim “Fleta” Byung-sun - Coach

T1’s return to Overwatch in 2025 marked the start of a major storyline for the biggest Korean esports organisation, and 2026 is where expectations truly begin.

After a slow start last season, T1 found their footing in the latter half of 2025, when they added vigilante and Jasm1ne, and the squad started to synergise. Now, they retain a strong core that’s steadily developing into a genuine contender in D0NGHAK, Jasm1ne, skewed, ZEST, and Proud.

The off-season brought notable changes. vigilante’s departure to Crazy Raccoon left a gap in the flex support role, but the addition of Bliss allows skewed to transition back into his preferred flex role.

T1 were widely regarded as the most impressive team during pre-season scrims, though that form did not fully translate into tournament success after a decisive loss to Twisted Minds.

With DONGHAK and Jasm1ne providing flexibility in the tank role and a dangerous DPS duo still intact, T1’s trajectory remains upward. The question now is whether they can convert their potential into consistent results.

Team Falcons

Team Falcons roster:

• Ham “SOMEONE” Jeong-wan - Tank
• Choi “Hanbin” Han-been - Tank
• Choi “MER1T” Tae-min - DPS
• Baek “Checkmate” Seung-hun - DPS
• Han “ChiYo” Hyeon-seok - Support
• Kwon “Fielder” Joon - Support
• Kim “NineK” Bum-hoon - Head Coach
• Choi “Junkbuck” Jae-won - Coach
• Kim “SP9RK1E” Yeong-han - Coach

Team Falcons enter 2026 in a transitional phase following a turbulent 2025 season. After becoming World Champions in 2024, expectations were sky-high. However, a slow domestic start and repeated losses to Crazy Raccoon defined much of their year. Their midseason resurgence, which culminated in a Midseason Championship trophy, marked their ceiling, but everything else remained just out of reach.

The return of Junkbuck as head coach is one of the biggest storylines heading into the new season. Fresh off a successful stint in EMEA, he reunites with NineK to stabilise the team.

Roster-wise, the addition of Checkmate brings an entirely new dimension to the team in his Symmetra-play, but the departures of Stalk3r and Kim “Proper” Dong-hyun leave massive gaps in star power. Proper’s move in particular comes as a surprise, removing one of the team’s most flexible offensive threats.

Early signs from the Pre-Season Bootcamp suggest the Falcons are still finding their footing. Whether this roster can reclaim its dominance or fall further behind will be one of the defining narratives of the Korean circuit.

ZETA DIVISION

ZETA DIVISION roster:

• Shin “Bernar” Se-won - Tank
• Lee “Mealgaru” Jeong-hwan - Tank
• Kim “Proper” Dong-hyun - DPS
• Lee “KNIFE” Seon-woo - DPS
• Kim “Shu” Jin-seo - Support
• Park “Viol2t” Min-ki - Support
• Park “Crusty” Dae-hee - Coach
• Kim “GgulTaek” Jeong-youn - Coach

ZETA DIVISION may have assembled the most star-studded roster in the entire region.

After narrowly missing their goals in 2025, ZETA opted for a complete reset, retaining only Bernar before unveiling a lineup filled with some of the most accomplished players in Overwatch history.

The arrivals of Shu, Proper, and Viol2t instantly elevate the team into title contention. Combined with Berar’s stability and Mealgaru’s addition after an impressive breakout season with WAE, ZETA now boast elite talent in every role.

Behind the scenes, the appointment of Crusty as head coach adds another layer of pedigree. His prior experience working with Proper and Viol2t could prove crucial in accelerating team cohesion.

With Tokyo hosting the first international event of the year—organised by ZETA’s parent company, the stakes could not be higher.

New Era

New Era roster:

• SoLA - Tank
• Yate - Tank
• Kim “Perr” Dam-I - DPS
• Hyeon “D0D0” Jae-woong - DPS
• Yoo “Secret” Jae-hyun - Support
• Lee “MCD” Jeong-hoo - Support

New Era quietly returns to OWCS with a renewed opportunity in 2026.

After a difficult 2025 campaign that saw them fall out of the league, the team secured their spot this season by acquiring WAE’s seed. Now, they return with a mix of experience and emerging talent.

D0D0 remains one of the most exciting prospects on the roster, already turning heads with his Genji play despite limited experience. Alongside him is veteran support MCD, whose history dates back to the Overwatch League, providing much-needed leadership.

New Era will likely be viewed as underdogs, but with the right momentum, they have the potential to disrupt the middle of the table.

RØDE ONSIDE GAMING

RØDE ONSIDE GAMING roster:

• Kim “Attack” Jun-hwa - Tank
• An “SP1NT” Woo-jin - DPS
• Jung “Kilo” Jin-woo - DPS
• Kim “Haksal” Hyo-jong - DPS
• Kim “IRONY” Baek-kang - Support
• An “OPENER” Gi-beom - Support
• Lim “F4zE” Si-hyun - Head Coach
• Chon “Ado” Gi-hyeon - Coach
• Jung “Doo” Hyun-doo - Coach

ONSIDE GAMING enter 2026 with near-complete stability. After finishing 5th-6th in both Stage 2 and 3 last year, the team has retained most of its core, opting to build on existing synergy rather than overhaul the roster.

The addition of SP1NT, after an impressive but short tenure at Crazy Raccoon, provides a direct upgrade in firepower. The team also added Haksal, who, despite his rich history in the sport, hasn’t played in the competitive scene for years, sparking both intrigue and uncertainty.

While the departures of Kim “Kellan” Min-jae and Lee “KNIFE” Seon-woo leave certain gaps, this roster’s stability could prove to be a key advantage.

ZAN Esports

ZAN Esports roster:

• Cho “HEISER” Yu-hyun- Tank
• Kim “Becky” Il-ha - DPS
• Han “A1IEN” Yu-bin - DPS
• Jung “Probe” Jun-young - DPS
• Yang “YangJun” Jun - Support
• Jeong “KIVIS” Yeon-woo - Support
• Hong “Hyeonjun” Hyeon-jun - Support
• Park “KariV” Young-seo - Head Coach
• Choi “Mircalla” Hyeon-seo - Coach
• Kim “Ir1s” Seung-hyun - Coach

ZAN Esports enter OWCS as one of the league's most cohesive new teams.

After a flawless Open Qualifier run, the team reunites much of the former Old Ocean core, supplemented by Probe and additional depth signings.

Interestingly, ZAN has opted for an unconventional roster structure, prioritising extra DPS and support players over the typical additional tank. This opens the door for creative double-flex compositions, but the team might find themselves out of options if the tank meta works against them.

While expectations remain modest, their synergy and flexibility could make them a dangerous opponent.

Cheeseburger

Cheeseburger roster:

• Kim “FARMER” Yea-han- Tank
• Lee “SeungAn” Seung-an- Tank
• Kim “Argon” Han-saem - DPS
• Song “ZeSin” Yun-jin - DPS
• Jamelgong - DPS
• Lee “WoochaN” Woo-chan - Support
• Kim “Faith” Hong-gyu - Support
• Opera - Coach

Cheeseburger returns to OWCS to build on their promising but so far inconsistent debut.

Their first appearance in 2025 included a standout five-map series against ZETA DIVISION, showcasing their potential against top-tier opposition. However, they struggled to maintain that level across the season.

The team retains nearly its entire roster, replacing only D0D0 with rookie Jamelgong. That continuity could be a decisive factor as they look to improve their results.

If they can convert strong performances into consistent wins, Cheeseburger could pose a legitimate threat to teams right above them.

Poker Face

Poker Face roster:

• Lee “Fearful” Min-ho - Tank
• Jeon “Gur3um” Yong-min - Tank
• Seo “M1nut2” Min-seo - DPS
• Go “D4RT” Min-hyuk- DPS
• Kim “CARU” Beom-jun - Support
• Lee “Sp1nel” Chang-sub- Support
• TenTen - Support
• Ahn “SEON” Seon-bin - Head Coach
• Hwang “Da1Da1Sm00th” Sung-hwan - Coach

Poker Face once again returns as one of OWCS Korea’s most intriguing development teams.

Known for identifying and nurturing talent, the organisation has rebuilt its roster around a mix of returning players and international experience.

With only two players carried over from previous iterations, this lineup represents a fresh start. The addition of players who just spent the previous stages in China and Japan might add some interesting diversity to their playstyles, while their tank lineup remains consistent with the regional norms.

Poker Face’s track record speaks for itself, and while immediate results may vary, this roster could very well produce the next generation of Korean Stars.

The action is almost here

Competitive Overwatch in Korea returns with some of the most stacked rosters the region has ever seen.

From Crazy Raccoon’s continued dominance, to ZETA DIVISION’s superteam ambitions, to the uncertainty surrounding Team Falcons, the 2026 season is filled with compelling storylines at every level of play.

With international qualification on the line and new legacies waiting to be forged, OWCS Korea is once again set to deliver some of the highest-level Overwatch in the world.

Make sure to stay up to date on all information, news, and interviews with Korean teams on OWTV.gg.