Highlights
- BLAST and Ubisoft partnership extended through 2029 for a stable, unified ecosystem.
- The 2026/27 roadmap features international events in Salt Lake City, Japan, and Brazil.
- The China National League (CNL) joins as the fifth global region with a direct path to Majors.
The future of Rainbow Six Siege esports is secure. In a major announcement delivered from the Six Invitational 2026 in Paris, the BLAST and Ubisoft partnership was officially renewed for another three years. This extension guarantees that BLAST will continue to operate the competitive circuit through the 2028/29 season, handling everything from production to commercial partnerships. The deal builds on the initial collaboration that began in 2023, promising teams and fans a stable, unified ecosystem for the foreseeable future.
Alongside the BLAST and Ubisoft partnership renewal, the organizers immediately dropped the roadmap for the 2026-27 season, locking in three major international destinations that span the globe. The competitive year will feature a BLAST Rainbow Six Major in Salt Lake City, USA, running from May 8 to May 17, 2026. Later in the year, the circuit moves to Asia for a second Major in Japan, scheduled for November 6 through November 15, 2026.
The season will conclude with the biggest event of the year, the Six Invitational 2027, which is confirmed to return to Brazil in February 2027 to honor one of the game's most passionate fanbases. For the upcoming season, the path to the championship has been streamlined into a single, connected journey. The calendar kicks off with a Challenger Series in February and March, leading into a new "Season Kickoff" event in April, where teams will earn their first points toward Six Invitational qualification.
Two Regional League stages are set for June–July and September–October to feed into the Majors. Notably, the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh this August has been integrated as an official mid-season pillar; the winner of the EWC will secure the only direct qualification spot for the Six Invitational 2027.
The China National League (CNL)
The ecosystem is also officially expanding to five global regions with the launch of the China National League (CNL). This new ten-team professional league will be fully aligned with the global structure, adopting the dragon-and-phoenix emblem as its identity. CNL teams will join the Global Standings system immediately in 2026 and enter the R6 SHARE program, becoming eligible for revenue sharing starting in 2027. This move creates a standardized pathway for Chinese teams to qualify for Majors and the Invitational, just like their counterparts in other regions.
This renewal comes off the back of strong performance metrics and a history of successful events in cities like Montreal, Manchester, and Copenhagen. The partnership previously delivered the record-breaking Six Invitational 2024 in São Paulo, which hit a peak concurrent viewership of 521,374.
While the 2025 edition saw numbers adjust to around 379,376 peak viewers, the financial ecosystem remains robust. Executives from both sides view the long-term deal as a vote of confidence in the scene's growth. BLAST CEO Robbie Douek stated that the renewal sends a strong positive message to the industry and fans, citing the elevation of esports over the last three years.
Echoing this sentiment, Ubisoft’s VP of Esports and Marketing, Francois-Xavier Deniele, emphasized in a press release that the unified structure and new destinations are designed to create a clearer journey for teams and a better experience for viewers. With the roadmap set, teams will now begin preparations for the April Season Kickoff, eyeing a spot on the main stage in Salt Lake City.
