The short version

  • July 16-19, 2026 at Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
  • $2,000,000 total prize pool
  • 8 of 12 CDL franchises qualify by season-long CDL Points; double elimination bracket, best-of-5 matches (Grand Finals is best-of-9)
  • OpTic Texas is the two-time defending champion, entering as the favorite with an unchanged roster
  • Jointly operated by ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) and FaZe Esports

The Call of Duty League’s season finale lands in Las Vegas this week — CDL Championship 2026 runs July 16 through 19 at the Michelob Ultra Arena, with a $2 million prize pool on the line and eight franchises fighting for the trophy.

Format and who’s in it

The top eight teams by CDL Points across the season earned their spot in this double-elimination bracket. Every match is best-of-5 except for the Grand Finals, which stretches to a best-of-9 — a long enough series that a single bad map rarely decides the title outright. This year’s Championship is jointly run by ESL FACEIT Group and FaZe Esports, a newer operational arrangement than in past seasons.

OpTic Texas goes for three in a row

OpTic Texas enters as the team to beat. They’ve won the last two CDL Championships back-to-back, and with their roster unchanged heading into this event, most of the field sees them as the clear favorite to make it three straight titles — a rare enough feat in Call of Duty esports, where roster shuffles between seasons are the norm rather than the exception.

Why it matters

A three-peat would put OpTic Texas in genuinely rare company for Call of Duty esports specifically, where the meta and rosters usually shift enough season to season that repeat champions are the exception. Even setting that storyline aside, a $2 million finale in Las Vegas is as big as CDL gets — worth watching this week if competitive Call of Duty is anywhere on your radar.

Sources: VP Esports — CDL 2026 Championship Guide: $2,000,000 Prize Pool Details, Las Vegas Finals, Esports Insider — CDL Championship 2026 to feature $2m prize pool, Liquipedia — Call of Duty League Season 7 Playoffs, Call of Duty League — official schedule