Marvel Rivals $3m Ignite 2026 will feature partner teams and relegation
NetEase have revealed the second season of Marvel Rivals Ignite with a full calendar of 2026 esports events.
Last month at DreamHack Atlanta, Virtus.pro became the first-ever Marvel Rivals Ignite Grand Finals Champions.
Next year’s event will be slightly different and feature an increased prize pool with over $3 million (£2.2m) available.
Here is everything new for the 2026 iteration of Marvel Rivals Ignite
NetEase promises a more professional, mature, and exciting Marvel Rivals Ignite in 2026.
Schedule
NetEase have given an early look into the 2026 calendar for Marvel Rival esports.
While it looks mostly the same as 2025, there will first be a new preseason event in April to test new rosters.
There will also still be two international events, the Mid-Season Finals and the Grand Finals.
Preseason will determine seeding for Stage 1, which will take place between May and June before the Mid-Season Finals in August.
Then, Stage 2 will be held between September and October before the Grand Finals in November.
Regional shift
The Ignite series of events will remain a global circuit, though Asia and Oceania are merging to form the Pacific region.
During the Group Stages, Asia and Oceania will still compete independently before their teams clash against each other in the Playoffs.
As a result, the participating regions will be the Americas, EMEA, China, and Pacific with a ‘Pro League’ for each.
Online leagues in each region will determine who qualifies for the international events.
Marvel Rivals Ignite Grand Finals qualification
This year, a points system is being introduced to increase the stakes throughout the season.
Most regional Ignite tournaments and the Mid-Season Finals will act as qualifiers for the Marvel Rivals Grand Finals.
League points will be awarded based on final placements in Stage 1, the Mid-Season Finals, and Stage 2.
Teams can secure their spot at the Grand Finals by either winning the Stage 2 Playoffs or finishing near the top of the annual league leaderboard by accumulating points.
Marvel Rivals esports partner teams
In possibly the biggest update to the esport, NetEase has announced the Marvel Rivals Esports Partner Teams Program.
Esports teams like ENVY have been leaving Marvel Rivals en masse. Crazy Racoon just became the latest team to drop their roster.
Global applications are now open for Americas, EMEA, China, and Pacific teams to become official partners.
Selected partner teams will share revenue from team-themed content sold in-game and receive ‘comprehensive support’ from NetEase.
Starting with the 2026 Ignite Series, Team Bundles and Esports Bundle will debut in Marvel Rivals to allow fans to support their favourite teams.
There will be 12 partner slots in total, presumably three in each region.
New promotion and relegation system
Additionally, Marvel Rivals will feature a promotion and relegation system across the global leagues.
Teams can earn enough points through the returning Marvel Rivals Championship (MRC) to earn the chance at potential promotion into a Pro League.
After the Mid-Season Finals and the end of the 2026 season, teams with the most MRC points will compete with poorly performing League teams to decide who will get the slot in the league for the upcoming season.
The post-2026 season matches will filter into the 2027 Marvel Rivals esports season.
Partnered teams will have limited relegation protection; though it appears it will still be possible for them to be relegated from Pro Leagues.
Marvel Rivals Championship returns
The Marvel Rivals Championship (MRC) will return in 2026 and will expand into six seasons.
Starting with MRC Season 7, teams will earn points based on continuous participation and performance throughout the year.
The highest-ranked teams in the annual standings will secure the opportunity to compete for promotion into the Marvel Rivals Esports Pro League.
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