The Apex Legends Global Series Year 5 Championship takes place January 15-18, 2026, at the Daiwa House PREMIST DOME in Sapporo, Japan. The event brings together 40 teams competing for a $2 million prize pool. EA has confirmed that the venue will host the championship again the following year.
Tournament Format
Group Stage (January 15-16)
All 40 teams compete in the Group Stage using a round-robin format. Teams are seeded into four groups of ten based on Championship Point standings. Each group plays against the other groups, with every team playing in three match series (18 games total) throughout the Group Stage.
After the stage concludes, all 40 teams advance to the Bracket Stage based on their scores:
- Top 20 teams advance to the Winners Bracket
- Bottom 20 teams advance to Losers Bracket Round 1
Bracket Stage (January 17)
Winners Bracket: The top 20 teams from Group Stage play one match series. The top 10 advance to Finals; the bottom 10 drop to Losers Bracket Round 2.
Losers Bracket Round 1: The 20 teams play one match series. The top 10 advance to Losers Bracket Round 2; the bottom 10 are eliminated.
Losers Bracket Round 2: The 20 teams play one match series. The top 10 advance to Finals; the bottom 10 are eliminated.
Finals (January 18)
The 20 remaining teams compete in Match Point Format. The first team to reach 50 points and then secure a first-place finish wins the championship. Remaining teams are ranked by total points.
Prize Pool
| Placement | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|
| 1st | $600,000 |
| 2nd | $300,000 |
| 3rd | $200,000 |
| 4th | $160,000 |
| 5th-40th | Distributed among remaining teams |
Maps and Competitive Build
Teams compete on a dedicated build developed by Respawn Entertainment that includes some, but not all, changes from the most recent balance patch.
How to Watch
Official Streams
The event broadcasts live on official Apex Legends Twitch and YouTube channels. FACEIT Watch provides multi-view options including the main broadcast and live team comms.
Twitch Drops
A new in-game cosmetic item unlocks each day by watching 30 minutes of the livestream.
Watch Parties
Five watch parties provide alternative commentary alongside the 22 official casters:
English: Jack "NiceWigg" Martin, Athanasios "Greek" Alestas
Chinese: Vtuber "Restiafps"
Japanese: Yuji "YUKIO" Okano, Yusuke "assiikun" Ashiwa
Partners and Sponsors
"The ALGS Year 5 Championship is a huge collaboration between our players, viewers, and of course our valued partners," said Monica Dinsmore, EA's head of esports.
Hardware Partners
Sony INZONE serves as official monitor partner, with INZONE M10S displays used across competition areas and the FanZone. Sony INZONE also supplies all official player audio for the first time, including a tournament-specific H9 II headset paired with E9 wired in-ear headphones.
The INZONE booth features product trials, talk events with professional players and streamers, and a tournament watch party. The "INZONE Buds Soudatsu!! 1v1 Event" awards INZONE Buds gaming headphones to fans who defeat a special guest. A Sony Store Sapporo pop-up shop offers limited quantity sales of INZONE products with venue-exclusive benefits based on purchase amount.
GALLERIA serves as official PC partner, providing competition systems and fan access to the same hardware.
Razer is the official chair partner, supplying Iskur V2 NewGen esports chairs for main stage, free-play areas, and FanZone.
AndGAMER and subsidiary Void Gaming showcase products and supply controllers for free-play stations.
Other Partners
Red Bull returns as official energy drink partner with on-site activations including a photo booth, bar, and interactive experiences.
Google Play debuts as an ALGS partner, hosting a booth with exclusive rewards for Google Play Points VIP members and giveaways.
Japanese Partners
Local partners include the city of Sapporo, Hokkaido Electric Power Company, fashion brand BEAMS, production company RAGE, NTT East, and confectioner Macaron et Chocolat. These partners contribute infrastructure, merchandise, and regional elements to the event.
The Hokkaido Pavilion is a designated fan area highlighting partner activations while promoting Sapporo-based companies and regional Hokkaido culture.
Tournament Anthem
Artist OZworld created the official tournament anthem titled "Stim Up." The track is available on all major music platforms including Apple Music and Spotify.
