Blizzard just announced plans for the Hearthstone Esports in 2026. And the news are certainly good!
After the program getting downsized year after year multiple times in a row, it started growing back again. And while not back to its former glory, 2026 will have more tournaments, bigger total cash prize, and an in-person World Championship at BlizzCon 2026. And given that BlizzCon happens earlier than usual (in September), the tournaments are also more densely packed.
The overall paths to qualify will remain similar to last year, but we’re getting three competitive seasons – Winter (January/February), Spring (March/April) and Summer (May/June). Each season ends in a major Masters Tour event (in April, June and August). Players will once again qualify through open tournaments (leading to Playoffs) and competitive points (for high ladder finishes). However, this time there’s a bigger emphasis on Playoffs, with more spots awarded that way (4 per region instead of 2 per region previously).
A new addition this year are Playoffs Blitz Weekends. Shortly before each Masters Tour Championship, we’ll get a weekend packed with shorter tournaments where players get a last chance to quality to Playoffs. Winner of each smaller tournament will get a spot at Playoffs (and scoring high at Playoffs gives them a spot in Masters Tour).
Hearthstone World Championship 2026, as already mentioned, will happen at BlizzCon in September, with the same $500k prize pool. From 16 spots in total, 9 will go to top 3 players from each Masters Tour Championship (it means that players will also have to fight for the 3rd place), 4 from China’s competitive system (which is, as usual, separate from the rest of the world) and 3 to top competitive point earners across all seasons.
If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to join the official Hearthstone Esports Discord Server, where you can easily stay up to date with all the new, open qualifier announcements and so on.
Learn more from the blog post below:
Hearthstone Esports returns bigger than ever with more tournaments, larger prize pools, new qualification paths, and an epic World Championship finale live at BlizzCon!
Hearthstone Esports in 2026
This year we’re going big! After two amazing Masters Tour Championships in 2025, we’re raising the stakes by introducing the Winter Championship, bringing the total to three Masters Tour Championships in 2026. That means an extra $50,000 added to the overall prize pool. As previously announced, the Hearthstone World Championship will take place at BlizzCon next September, so get ready for a jam-packed year of competitive action to watch and join!
Competitive Seasons
It’s going to be a busy year! In 2026, there will be three back-to-back Competitive Seasons: Winter (January/February), Spring (March/April), and Summer (May/June). Each season will feature a Playoff and a Masters Tour Championship. The path to qualifying for a Masters Tour Championship will remain similar to 2025. Players can earn a spot in their regional Playoffs by collecting Competitive Points on ladder or through Open Qualifier tournaments. Masters Tour Championships will still include a mix of top Competitive Point earners and Playoff performers, with slightly more emphasis on Playoffs.
New: Playoffs Blitz Weekend
New for 2026 and just as exciting as our inspired branding suggests, Playoffs Blitz Weekend is a weekend packed with shorter open tournaments designed to qualify players for Playoffs. Held near the end of each Competitive Season, these Blitz Weekends will feature several single-elimination open qualifiers with a lower player cap, awarding a Playoff spot to the winner of each event. Blitz Weekends are the perfect chance for players who want the thrill of competition without committing an entire day to traditional Swiss-style qualifiers. Whether you’re trying competitive Hearthstone for the first time or you’re a seasoned pro, come join the action! We’ll share more details as we get closer to the first Blitz Weekend.
Playoffs
We brought back Playoffs in 2025 to give players a clearer path to compete in Hearthstone, and we’re thrilled with how they turned out! In 2026, we’re making them even better by adding more ways to qualify through additional Open Qualifiers and the new Playoffs Blitz Weekends. Plus, all three Seasonal Playoffs will feature official broadcasts, so you can enjoy non-stop Hearthstone action all year long. Stay tuned to our social media channels or join the Esports Discord for details on signing up for Open Qualifiers!
Masters Tour Championships
We’re updating how players qualify for Masters Tour Championships in 2026 to put more emphasis on Playoffs. Each season, the top four players from each region (APAC, EMEA, and Americas) will qualify for the respective Masters Tour Championship, up from two players in 2025. The top Competitive Point earner from each region, along with the global top earner, will also secure a spot. Each Masters Tour Championship will feature a $50,000 prize pool, and the top three players from each event will advance to the World Championship at BlizzCon. This means every Masters Tour Championship will include an exciting third-place match to determine who earns that final World Championship spot!
World Championship
Passport? Check. Tickets? Check. Suitcase full of Murlocs? Mrrglcheck! Hearthstone Esports is headed to Anaheim for the 2026 Masters Tour World Championship at BlizzCon! We can’t wait to crown a World Champion live and share the hype in person. Whether you’re joining us at BlizzCon or tuning in from home, this will be an unforgettable event you won’t want to miss!
In 2026, the 16 World Championship players will include:
9 players: The top 3 from each Masters Tour Championship
4 players: From China’s competitive system
3 players: The top global Competitive Point earners across all seasons
The World Championship will feature a $500,000 (USD) prize pool, and the champion will be crowned on Sunday, September 13th!
You won’t have long to wait if you want to compete, with the first Competitive Season starting in January! See the Official Rules for more details, and for all information on Hearthstone Esports throughout the year join our Hearthstone Esports Discord Server. We look forward to seeing you on the road to BlizzCon!
A Hearthstone player and writer from Poland, Stonekeep has been in a love-hate relationship with Hearthstone since Closed Beta. Over that time, he has achieved many high Legend climbs and infinite Arena runs. He's the current admin of Hearthstone Top Decks.
