The Call of Duty League Championship 2026 began on Thursday, July 16, at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, bringing together the eight top teams from the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 season to compete for nearly US$2 million in prize money, with roughly US$800,000 reserved for the champion.
Hosted by FaZe Vegas, the event runs through July 19 and follows a double-elimination format.
Paris Gentle Mates open with straight-sets win
The tournament’s opening match saw Paris Gentle Mates defeat Toronto KOI 2–0 in the winners’ bracket. With that victory, the French squad moves forward in the winners’ bracket while Toronto KOI drops to the lower bracket, where another loss would mean elimination.
Other first-day matchups
Alongside Paris Gentle Mates’ debut, three additional matches were scheduled for the first day:
- LA Thieves vs. Riyadh Falcons
- FaZe Vegas vs. G2 Minnesota
- OpTic Texas vs. Miami Heretics
OpTic Texas enters the championship as the favorite after finishing the regular season atop the standings with a 40–12 record and 575 league points.
The remaining teams’ league points are: LA Thieves — 500; FaZe Vegas — 440; Paris Gentle Mates — 380; Toronto KOI — 290; G2 Minnesota — 250; Riyadh Falcons — 240; Miami Heretics — 235.
Betting markets heavily favor OpTic Texas
Prediction markets also listed OpTic Texas as the primary title favorite. Before matches began, betting platforms gave OpTic about an 84% chance to beat Miami Heretics in their opening match.
LA Thieves were listed as heavy favorites against Riyadh Falcons, and FaZe Vegas was favored over G2 Minnesota.
Format and final
All matches up to the quarterfinals will be played as best-of-five maps (MD5). The grand final, scheduled for July 19, will be contested as a best-of-nine series (MD9) to decide the world champion for the competitive Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 season.
The championship features teams from multiple regions in addition to North American organizations, including Paris Gentle Mates (Europe), Riyadh Falcons (Middle East) and Toronto KOI (Canada), highlighting the event’s international field.
