2026-2027 Season · Unified Collegiate
THE CLASH.
April or May 2027 · Indianapolis. Three days, six titles, and every national bid decided on one stage. The premier collegiate esports LAN of 2026-2027.
Roster lock · 33 days away
Host venue and exact dates announced by October 2026.
Friday Group Stage (GSL groups of 4) → Saturday Semifinals (Championship + Challenger) → Sunday Grand Finals + Awards.
A seventh may open. Online champions qualify in as well — per region when fields allow. Titles short of the 8-team minimum at roster lock (teams on both tracks count) run online-only with refund/credit.
Six titles for 2026-2027
Three days in Indianapolis
GSL-style groups of 4 per title. Top seeds advance to Championship, bottom seeds to Challenger. Multiple competitive matches per team on day one.
Both Championship and Challenger semis across all titles. Saturday evening: community event, sponsor mixer, coach fireside.
All Grand Finals (Championship + Challenger), 3rd-place matches, and the awards ceremony on the main stage.
Why two brackets?
The Challenger bracket guarantees every team that travels to Indianapolis plays meaningful matches through Sunday — not just Friday group games. Every program gets a real competitive path, a chance to win hardware, and content-worthy moments for their community.
Two roads to Indianapolis
Both tracks run the full online competitive season together — and both roads end at The Clash. The difference is how you get there.
Six dedicated slots per title — a seventh may open. Secure yours and you're in Indianapolis, full stop. Online standings still matter: they seed your bracket at the LAN.
The same season at a fraction of the price. Win your online season — the league bracket, or your region's when fields allow — and you've earned your way into The Clash: travel to Indianapolis, or take the remote bid option and compete virtually, live during the LAN.
Every national bid is decided at The Clash. Bids to the Riot Games College Championship and the CECC (Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup) are awarded through Clash results. On stage or online, every program earns its bid at the same event.
Commitment timeline
Signup opens. Submit your declaration of interest — no payment required to declare.
Early commit deadline. $500 deposit per team locks your slot — every team, dedicated LAN slot or Online Track. 50% forfeit window runs July 15 – August 30.
Roster lock. Schedule published. Full deposit forfeit window opens for late withdrawals.
Online season. Phase 1 round-robin / Swiss → Phase 2 double-elim playoffs. Final standings seed the Clash brackets and crown the online champions who qualify in.
The Clash · Indianapolis. Exact dates announced by October 2026.
Frequently asked
Each title runs at LAN only if 8+ teams commit by roster lock — teams on either track count toward the minimum. Titles short of that run online-only for 2026-2027, and registered LAN teams get a refund or credit toward another title.
12+ months of advance notice + confirmed venue/dates fits standard travel approval cycles. If the AD still won't approve, the Online Track at $350/team keeps you in the season — and if you win your online season, the remote bid option lets you compete for your bid virtually, live during The Clash.
Yes for the online regular season — each roster registers independently. At The Clash (LAN) each university is limited to one team per title. A separate JV (Tier 2) division runs at LAN if 8+ JV teams commit per title.