We’re well into the last day of the ALGS Year 5 Championship, and we’ve just had confirmation of the Year 6 schedule. While we all knew we’d be returning to Sapporo, Japan, for the championship in 2027, the calendar is surprisingly packed leading up to that huge event.
ALGS has done nothing but grow over the last few years, and 2026, which will be Year 6 for the tournament, looks to be the biggest and most jam-packed yet.
Mark Your Calendar Now So You Don’t Miss Anything During ALGS Year 6
The biggest events of every year of ALGS are the LANs. These are the huge live events that are electric and always fun to attend. However, it’s not always possible for everyone to get to them. This year is particularly widespread, but I think that’s a really great thing because it means more fans have the chance to attend an event that’s at least vaguely close to them.
Kicking the year’s physical events off is the Split 1 Playoffs in Riyadh from July 7 to 11, 2026. This is part of the Esports World Cup, so you’ll have a fair few other events you can attend if you make the trip. In terms of value for money, it’s probably the best given what you’ll experience overall.
Split 2 Playoffs are in the US this year, in the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. I think Vegas is great for a little holiday, but also generally a lot easier for US fans to actually get to. It may not be the most well-attended event, but definitely essential for a huge portion of the fanbase. This leg of the year takes place from October 29 to November 1, 2026.
Finally, there’s the Championship leg of ALGS Year 6. This is the final of the three confirmed championships for Sapporo, Japan. I’ve never been but am hoping to go, and this is your last year to go if you want to make it to a guaranteed Japanese ALGS LAN. Given the support from fans there, I’d be surprised if this is the last event, slated for January 28 to 31, 2027.
Now, let’s take a step back to the more general events that will take place around these LANs throughout the year. We’ve had more physical events in the past, but I think the economy has forced ALGS to pull back just a little. That’s no bad thing in my eyes, though, because the biggest events get more focus and everything else can be done extremely well online.
We’ll have the ALGS Open in February, which is where teams worldwide can compete to get into future tournaments. This is a brilliant time of year because it’s literally anybody’s game. That takes place around February/March time.
Then, between April and June, we’ll have the ALGS Split 1 Pro League and Challengers Circuits that will feed into the first LAN. That’s then followed up by the Pro League Qualifiers and Split 2 Pro League and Challengers Circuits from August to October.
After the Split 2 LAN, there’s the Last Chance Qualifier in November before a big break until Champs in early 2027. If this sounds like a lot, then you’re on the right page. I don’t think many people, if anyone outside of the players, will be making all these LANs.
Watching the online events is simple; you’ve just got to carve the time out of your day and week to make sure you don’t miss anything. I will always aim to get to the Championship LAN, because it’s easily the best, but any will do. I think if you can get to Split 2 in the US, that’s the one to aim for because it’ll likely be the cheapest to attend.
However, as I’ve alluded to above, things are tight for everyone right now. Don’t spend more money than you have just to attend a LAN. There are flights, hotels, and food to consider. The one thing I always forget about is merch, and that’s something that I think is always well worth your money if you can attend an event, so make sure you budget for it if you’re attending a physical event in ALGS Year 6.
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