The format for the 2019 season of the Overwatch League has been revealed! Each of the league’s 20 teams will play 28 matches over four five-week stages at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles, and the action kicks off with opening day on Thursday, February 14th, 2019.
The eight expansion franchises have been assigned to the league’s two existing divisions. Paris, Toronto, Washington D.C., and Atlanta will join the Atlantic Division, while Vancouver, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou will join the Pacific Division.
The division winners and the next four top teams regardless of division will qualify for the postseason. Two additional teams will make the playoffs based on the results of a play-in tournament, which will take place immediately after the regular season.
To help give teams opportunities to visit their home markets and to keep players fresh, teams will play either one, two or no matches each week. Additionally, there will be longer breaks during the season, including an extended break around the league’s All-Star Event, which will take place between Stages 2 and 3. More details about the league’s schedule – including tickets and full game schedules – will be announced later this year. In the meantime, keep up to date with all of the latest Overwatch League news and content on the Overwatch League website, as well as on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, Instagram, and YouTube.