The stage is set; 8 teams have their sights set on the CRL Fall 2026 Championship this upcoming weekend, but only 1 can be crowned Fall Champion.
Meet your 8 competing teams:
- Concord University – #1 in League Play
- Northwood University – #2 in League Play
- Maryville University – #3 in League Play
- Baylor University – #4 in League Play
- Indiana Tech – #1 in Last Chance Qualifier
- Fisher College – #2 in Last Chance Qualifier
- Winthrop – #3 in Last Chance Qualifier
- West Virginia – #4 in Last Chance Qualifier
You can see the full bracket here:
Storylines to watch
Maryville (12-3 in League play): Your reigning CRL Spring 2026 Champions, Maryville is ready to defend their crown. They achieved a 12-3 record in League Play, only falling to Baylor, Concord, and Northwood this season. They’ll have their rematch against Northwood in round 1 of the Championship bracket – will they be ready?
Concord (14-1 in League play): The beasts of Fall 2025 LANs, Concord racked up numerous 1st place finishes at Boost on the Beach, Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup, the Scenic City Invitational, and the Bluegrass Boost Battle. However, the team wasn’t able to find that same success in last Spring’s LCQ. They’ve got a chip on their shoulder and something to prove – with the best record in this Fall’s league – 14-1. Their only loss: Winthrop University in a tight 2-3 during League Play.
Indiana Tech (10-5 in League play): This will be Indiana Tech’s first appearance in a CRL Championship bracket after missing the mark last Spring, where they placed 7th/8th. Their qualification is not a fluke – they put on a good show during the National Collegiate Esports Showdown earlier in October, placing 2nd after an intense 5-game series against Northwood. Additionally, they took down Michigan State and Winthrop in the Last Chance Qualifier to make the Championship bracket.
Northwood (13-2 in League play): Only 3 things are certain in life: death, taxes, and Northwood in the CRL Championship bracket. Winners of the $50,000 National Collegiate Esports Showcase, they’ll look to bring home some hardware in this season’s CRL Championship. They achieved a strong League Play record this fall, only falling to Baylor and Concord.
Baylor (12-3 in League play): This will be Baylor’s second appearance in a CRL Championship bracket. Earlier this spring, they qualified for the Championship but fell short – placing 5th-6th after falling to Fisher College. The Bears achieved a strong 12-3 in fall League Play, only dropping matches against Concord, Indiana Tech, and Lubbock Christian. Baylor should be an interesting team to watch in this championship bracket.
Fisher College (5-10 in League play): Actually, 4 things are certain in life: death, taxes, Northwood, AND Fisher College in the CRL Championship bracket. Fisher College nearly tasted victory in last Spring’s finals, falling to Maryville 2-4. Could this be the year that Fisher College finally secures a CRL Championship?
Winthrop (6-9 in League play): The Eagles of Winthrop had a rocky showing this season, achieving a 6-9 record in League play – a pretty significant change since achieving 10-5 in Spring 2026. They clawed their way through the Fall Last Chance Qualifier bracket, but clinched their Championship spot in the lower quarterfinals match against Ball State, 3-1.
West Virginia (9-6 in League play): West Virginia had an okay record in this season’s League Play, finishing 9-6. Unlike Winthrop, the Mountaineers had a pretty breezy run through the Last Chance Qualifier, only falling to Fisher College 1-3 in the Upper Semifinals. West Virginia’s always been a solid team within CRL, and like Fisher College, despite their many appearances in Championship brackets in the past, they have yet to actually take home the hardware.
How to watch:
The CRL Fall 2026 Championship will be broadcast live on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25 – on the official Rocket League Esports Twitch channel.
- Saturday, October 24:
- Round 1: 1pm ET
- Sunday, October 25:
- Quarterfinals: 1pm ET
- Semifinals: 3pm ET
- Grand Finals: 5pm ET
