War Thunder‘s WTCS Challenger League Major III has opened registration, and its first Open Qualifier will take place on September 19-20, 2026. Gaijin Entertainment laid out the schedule in its Steam announcement.
The event is separate from the WTCS Pro League Major III playoffs, which will return for their second weekend on September 12-13. The Challenger League qualifiers will begin the following weekend.
WTCS Challenger League Major III schedule
Open Qualifier I will be held September 19-20, followed by Open Qualifier II on September 26-27. Four teams will advance from each qualifier to the Playoff stage, with matches beginning at 14:40 GMT each day.
Playoff matches will follow on October 3-4 and October 10-11. Teams can enter the first qualifier through the official registration page.
More than 500,000 Golden Eagles are available
Major III offers more than 500,000 Golden Eagles across its prize pool, with rewards covering finishes from first through eighth place. Coupons must be selected within 10 days after the tournament ends, giving successful teams a specific window to claim those rewards.
Matches will stream at 14:40 GMT
Each broadcast will start at 14:40 GMT. Viewers can follow the action through the official English Twitch channel and the War Thunder Esports YouTube channel, where highlights and replays will also be available.
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War Thunder
Developed by Gaijin Entertainment
War Thunder is a free-to-play vehicular combat MMO featuring aircraft, ground vehicles, and naval craft spanning from the early 20th century to the modern era. Players progress through technology trees across multiple nations, unlocking increasingly advanced military vehicles. The game offers three realism tiers for each vehicle type: arcade, realistic, and simulator modes. Originally developed as a flight simulator under the name "World of Planes," the game expanded to include tanks in 2014 and naval forces later, becoming a combined-arms experience. A mobile version was released in 2023.
- Genre Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
- Perspective First person, Third person, Virtual Reality
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release January 28, 2013
- Publisher Gaijin Entertainment
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