📝 OWCS Open Qualifiers: Everything you need to know

OWCS 2026 Stage 1 in North America and EMEA is almost here. The OWCS Open Qualifiers are right around the corner and will determine which teams will join the OWCS Partnered Teams and compete in OWCS for a spot in the Tokyo Champions Clash.

The OWCS Open Qualifiers are split into two phases. Phase 1 takes place on February 21 and 22, and Phase 2 on February 28 and March 1. Each phase will feature a different competition format.

Phase 1 is a sizeable Swiss-stage format to determine the final teams heading to Phase 2. Registrations are open to up to 512 teams (Registration links: NA and EMEA). Each team will play six matches in a Swiss system to determine the 16-team tournament bracket for Phase 2. All matches are First-to-Three, and in every round, each team will be seeded against another team with a similar record.

Check out the FACEIT signup pages for both North America and EMEA to see all the teams competing in the Open Qualifiers. You may immediately spot some recognizeable teams there in the mix, climbing their way through Phase 1. Most notably, Al Qadsiah, who finished the 2025 season just shy of world champions, finishing 2nd in the 2025 World Finals. The organisation now has a completely new roster and will fight its way through Phase 1.

Other teams to look out for:

• Extinction: Most recently featured in OWCS 2025 Stages 2 and 3, but, like Al Qadsiah, the team is fielding an entirely new roster and will go through Phase 1.
• SrPeakCheck: Featuring OWL veteran, former ENCE tank, and content creator Roni “LhCloudy” Tiihonen and popular content creator Mihai “mL7” Lupascu.
• Here4Views: Featuring popular content creator and former Overwatch Contenders tank player Timber “kraandop” Rensen.
• FACEIT Master League teams that finished just outside the top four, such as Star Bits x Hypnos, TEAM G4MBIT, and Amplify.

It’s worth noting that team registrations are open until February 21, the day of the tournament, and new teams are forming and signing up as we approach the deadline.

The top four to eight teams from Phase 1 will advance to Phase 2, depending on the number of teams needed to fill the 16-team bracket. They will join the top four teams from the FACEIT League Season 7 - Master Playoffs, as well as teams that contain three players who last played together in OWCS 2025 Stage 3.

Phase 2 of the Open Qualifiers is a double-elimination bracket, and all matches are First-to-Three. Seeding for this portion of the qualifiers will be determined by previous placement in OWCS Stage 3, placement in FACEIT League Season 7 - Master Playoffs, and Phase 1 of the Open Qualifier.

Multiple teams, now fielding rosters that played in OWCS 2025 Stage 3, will secure direct placement to Phase 2. Geekay Esports, using Al Qadsiah’s former core of Abdulelah “LBBD7” Alfaifi, Ziyad “ZIYAD” Alkathiri, and Osama “Haku” Abdullah; and Anyone’s Legend, using Gen.G Esports’ former core of Lewis “Crispy” Beer, Christian “Khenail” Ríos, and Jamie “Backbone” O'Neill. More OWCS 2025 Stage 3 rosters are expected to sign up for Phase 2, and we’ll cover those in a separate preview next week.

After the conclusion of the most recent FACEIT League Season 7 - Master Playoffs, four teams from each of EMEA and North America have secured their placements in Phase 2. In EMEA, Jäger, Ereus, Mewthree, and Dreamlight, while in North America, Kintsugi, Emote Down Mid, Dreamland, and the former-NTMR core have all secured their spots. Additional teams from Phase 1 may also be brought up as necessary to fulfil the 16-team total in Phase 2.

Phase 1 of the Open Qualifiers will begin on February 21 and conclude on February 22. The following weekend, Phase 2 runs from February 28 to March 1. At which point, the top two teams from NA and the top three teams from EMEA will join the OWCS Partner Teams and establish the official six participating teams in OWCS 2026 Stage 1 in NA and EMEA.

Catch the OWCS Open Qualifiers live on February 21 at 17:00 GMT. You can watch the action at:

• Bullskunk will stream the majority of the competition.
• CommanderX will stream Phase 1 EMEA, Phase 2 EMEA and NA.
• Various players will also stream their POVs during the tournament.