Epic Games has officially announced the Fortnite Reload Elite Series, a new international competition featuring a total prize pool of $2.5m and concluding at the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The tournament is part of Epic Games’ ongoing partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation and will see both Fortnite and Rocket League return to the global esports event next year. Unlike the established Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS), the Reload Elite Series is built around Fortnite’s Reload mode a faster-paced 40-player battle royale format where players can respawn as long as one teammate remains alive.
Fortnite Reload Elite Series Format and Schedule
According to Epic Games, the Reload Elite Series will consist of four online qualifiers running between January and June 2026. Each qualifier will follow a multi-stage structure designed to narrow down the world’s best duos.
Each qualifier begins with two Open Rounds, featuring 12 matches per round. Advancement from the Open Rounds varies by region:
EU: Top 2,000 duos
NAC: Top 1,000 duos
OCE, ASIA, ME, BR, NAW: Top 500 duos
Teams that advance will enter the Play-Ins, competing across 24 matches split into two rounds. From there, the top 80 duos progress to the Heats stage.
During Heats, teams are divided into four groups, each playing eight matches. The top five duos from each heat advance to the regional Finals.
Only 20 duos per region will reach the Finals, where eight matches will determine which teams qualify for the Reload Elite Series Championship at the Esports World Cup.
Regional Qualification Spots for EWC
Qualification slots for the world championship vary by region:
EU: Top three teams qualify
NAC: Top two teams qualify
NAW, OCE, ASIA, ME, BR: Top team from each region qualifies
The first qualifier begins with Open Round 1 on January 8, 2026, and concludes with regional Finals on February 8, 2026.
Prize Pool Breakdown
The Reload Elite Series will distribute $1.5m in prize money across regional competitions. In Europe, first-place finishers can earn up to $30,000.
An additional $1m will be awarded at the Reload Elite Series Championship during the Esports World Cup, bringing the total prize pool to $2.5m.
Fortnite’s Return to the Esports World Cup
The 2026 tournament marks Fortnite’s second appearance at the Esports World Cup. While the title was included in the event’s inaugural 2024 edition, it was absent from the 2025 lineup.
At the time, Esports World Cup Foundation CEO Ralf Reichert explained the decision during an interview with Saudi television channel Al Ekhbariya, stating that the game lacked “competitive tools” and “doesn’t have a huge competitive ecosystem.”
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