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It's time to kick off the ECL '26: Spring - Elite & Pro Qualifiers, and in this article, we'll cover everything you need to know about the structure and schedules for the qualifiers of these two highest levels of play in the European Championship League. The ECL Elite Qualifier consists of five (5) teams competing for two (2) open ECL Elite spots. The five teams meet in a group stage where every team plays each other twice - meaning each team will play 8 games. The TOP 4 teams go into a final round where #1 of the group stage plays #4 and #2 plays #3. The winners of these two matchups will win the promotion to Elite. The losers of the final round, along with the bottom team of the group stage will play in ECL Pro for the ECL '26: Spring season. ECL Elite Qualifier Schedule Group Stage: 25-31.3.2026 Finals (BO7): 1.-2.4.2026 #1 vs #4 & #2 vs #3 Click here to find the standings and schedule Stage 1: Eight promotions The ECL Pro Qualifier consists of twenty (20) teams competing for eleven (11) open ECL Pro spots. The group stage consists of four (4) groups of five (5) teams where every team plays each other twice - meaning each team will play eight (8) games. Teams have been snake-seeded into Stage 1 groups based on previous ECL ranking and LA seeding. The top 2 of the group stage in each group is directly promoted to ECL Pro. 3rd and 4th place advance to Stage 2, while 5th place is eliminated to the Lite division. Stage 2: Two promotions The 3rd and 4th place teams from Stage 1 are reseeded into 2 new groups (Group A & B). 1st place in each group earns a direct Pro spot, 2nd place advances to Stage 3, while 3rd and 4th place are eliminated to the Lite division. Stage 3: One promotion The two (2) teams finishing 2nd in groups A and B of Stage 2 meet in one final best-of-5 matchup and the winner of the matchup will be promoted to ECL Pro. Group A #2 vs Group B #2 The loser of the final round will play in ECL Lite for the ECL '26: Spring season. ECL Pro Qualifier Schedule Pro Qualifiers | Stage 1: 25-29.3.2026 (All teams) Pro Qualifiers | Stage 2: 30.3-1.4.2026 (12 teams) Pro Final Round (BO5) 2.4.2026 (2 teams) Click here to find the standings and schedule If teams are tied in points at the end of the group stage, the following tie-breakers* will be applied in the order that they are listed: Group placement Points per game (PPG) Wins (including OT-wins) Head-to-head record (points in mutual games) Goal difference (across all games played) Scored goals (across all games played) *In the event of the tie-breakers being applied to teams from differing group sizes, ‘wins’ will be represented as a percentage, head-to-head will naturally be disregarded, goal-difference will be made into an ‘average per game’ amount, goals scored will (like goal difference before it) be converted into an ‘average per game’, then finally, if all else fails to break the tie between two teams, a coin flip will decide. Good luck to all teams!