RLCS
RLCS
RLCS 26 - Sub-Saharan Africa
Compete in the official Rocket League Championship Series for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Register your team on start.gg and get ready.
Register - SSA Open 2
Register - SSA Open 3
Rocket League Esports - SSA
Discord
Registration Deadlines
At the deadline your team's ranked Matchmaking Rating (MMR) is automatically captured for seeding. Ensure your roster is fully registered, all invitations are accepted, and each player has connected their Epic Games account.
Format
Day 1 - Double Elimination
- Participants split into pools*
- Teams losing 2 matches are eliminated
- *Pools/advancements/schedule may adjust based on signups.
Day 2 - Swiss Stage
- 32 advance from Day 1 (Opens 1 & 4) / 24 + Top-8 seeds (Opens 2/3/5/6)
- 2 pools · Win 3 to qualify · Lose 3 eliminated
- 16 teams advance to Day 3
Day 3 - GSL Stage
- 16 teams · 2 pools
- Lose 2 matches → eliminated
- 8 advance to Day 4
Day 4 - Hybrid Elimination
- 8 teams from Day 3 (4 Upper / 4 Lower based on placements)
- Upper winners → Day 5 Semi-Finals; Upper losers → Lower R2
- Lower bracket: lose and you’re out
Day 5 - Hybrid Elimination (Finals)
- 6 remaining teams · elimination on loss
- Grand Final crowns the Open winner
Team Roles
Starters
- 3 required
- MMR used for seeding
- Prize paid directly via Epic Competitive Prizing
- Eligible for in-game titles (Top 16+ or prize earners)
- Region-locked through Open 6 (except transfer window)
Substitute
- Optional, max 1
- Can play matches - MMR not used for seeding
- Titles if team places Top 16+
- Registered as "alternate" on start.gg
- Region-locked through Open 6 (except transfer window)
Coach / Manager
- Points teams only
- Added by admins after Top 16 placement
- Coach can communicate during matches
- Not registered on start.gg unless also the Substitute
Only 3 Starters + up to 1 Substitute can be registered on start.gg. Coaches/Managers are added by admins once a team earns RLCS points.
Region Residency
Majority Residency Requirement
- 3-player roster: at least 2 must meet SSA residency
- 4-player roster: at least 3 must meet SSA residency
Residency by citizenship, permanent legal residence, in-person education, or in-person work placement. Falsification may lead to disciplinary action (see Rulebook 8.3).
SSA Countries
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo (Republic), Congo (DR), Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Exceptions (SSA/MENA): Chad, Djibouti, Mauritania, Niger. These exceptions can count toward SSA or MENA residency. Region lock applies across all Opens.
See Rulebook 3.8.3 for Majority Residency Roster Restrictions.
Prizes
| Placement | USD | RLCS Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | $6,600 | 15 |
| 2nd | $3,600 | 10 |
| 3rd-4th | $2,400 | 7 |
| 5th-6th | $1,650 | 5 |
| 7th-8th | $1,200 | 3 |
| 9th-12th | $1,050 | 2 |
| 13th-16th | $600 | 1 |
| 17th-32nd | $300 | 0 |
| Additional prize tiers apply. See full event page for details. | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change Region?
Once you register for an RLCS 2026 Open, you are locked to that Region for the remaining Opens in the Season. That means that if you register for SSA Open 1, you are not permitted to register for any other Region in Opens 2-6 - only SSA Opens. The only way to change Region is during the Transfer Window, joining an existing team with RLCS Points as their official transfer.
How many teams can an organization register?
RLCS Teams are not permitted to have overlapping Control Persons, meaning organizations are not permitted to register more than one RLCS Team at a time. Please make sure multiple teams do not contain the same organization name (e.g. Organization Red and Organization Blue) or they may have their name forcibly changed to remove organization affiliation or be removed from the event entirely. Please see Section 3.10 in the rulebook for more information.
When are brackets published for Opens?
Brackets typically go out 24 hours prior to tournament start.
How do I register my team and invite players?
You can find most answers to this in the official start.gg support article Tournament Participation. All players on your team need their own start.gg accounts so you can invite them to your team!
How do I check in for a tournament and make sure I do everything right?
Check out this How to Play Online Rocket League Tournaments on start.gg Guide.
When does the registration close?
The deadline to register is at the top of the page. After that point you will not be able to register or adjust your team's registration, including, but not limited to: the adjustment of your team's name; the addition or removal of substitute players; or accepting pending invites for players. Teams are responsible for ensuring their roster is properly registered, including all players accepting their invitations to join their team before this deadline.
What platform can I compete on?
You can compete in the RLCS on PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox - any platform connected to the Epic Games Account you register with. You are responsible for your equipment working when competing.
How do I register my Team's Coach or Manager?
Coaches and Managers cannot be registered on start.gg - only the three starters and up to one substitute can be registered on a roster on start.gg. If your Team earns RLCS Points (with a top 16 or higher placement in an Open), a Tournament Administrator will reach out to collect your Team's Coach and Manager information. Coaches and Managers are required to be a minimum age of 18 years or older.
I placed in the top 16 Teams and now get points. What do I need to know?
Once a Team places in the Top 16 in an Open, they will receive points. Teams with points only retain their points throughout a season if their roster does not change. A Team who changes a starter or a substitute outside of the Transfer Window between Major 1 and Open 4 will forfeit all accumulated points.
Games
