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Six Invitational 2026 Playoffs Preview: Schedule, Format, and Opening Matches
The group stage has finally concluded, and the storylines for the Six Invitational 2026 could not be more dramatic. Last night, fans witnessed perhaps the biggest upset of the tournament so far: G2 Esports managed to claw their way back from the brink, dispatching a FaZe Clan roster that looked to be in championship-winning form. With that victory, G2 secured their spot in the final 16, setting the stage for a ruthless playoff bracket.
Now, the final push toward the Hammer begins. From high-stakes elimination matches to the tactical advantages of the upper bracket, here is everything you need to know about the SI 2026 Playoffs.
Tournament Format and Schedule
The playoffs will utilize a standard double-elimination bracket. Every match leading up to the Grand Final will be a Best-of-3 series.
The Grand Final shifts to a Best-of-5 marathon with unlimited overtime. The team coming from the Upper Bracket receives a map veto advantage, allowing them to pick a map before any bans occur—a massive strategic advantage to have in the Grand Finals.
The playoffs are split into two distinct phases. The initial gauntlet will take place behind closed doors before the survivors move to the big stage in front of a live crowd.
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Closed Door: February 08 – 10, 2026
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Main Stage: February 13 – 15, 2026
The Bracket:
Performance in the group stage has dictated a severely uneven playing field for the playoffs.
The Group Leaders
The top four seeds have earned a crucial rest and a fast track through the bracket. Wildcard, FaZe Clan, Weibo Gaming, and Team Secret have received a direct bye into the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals. They avoid the chaos of the opening round and await the winners of the initial matchups.
The Lower Bracket
For the teams that finished at the bottom of their respective groups—G2 Esports, Daystar, Oxygen Esports, and Ninjas in Pyjamas—there are no second chances. These squads start directly in the Lower Bracket. A single loss means their SI 2026 dream ends immediately. They will have to fight for survival from the very first minute.
Opening Matchups (February 8)
The remaining teams will kick off the action tomorrow, February 8. The schedule features two simultaneous streams, splitting the early and late viewing blocks.
11:00 AM CET / 2:00 AM PT
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Dplus vs. Fluxo w7m
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Team Heretics vs. FURIA
2:30 PM CET / 5:30 AM PT
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Spacestation Gaming vs. M80
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Team Falcons vs. Shopify Rebellion
6:00 PM CET / 9:00 AM PT
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FaZe Clan vs TBD
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Weibo Gaming vs TBD
9:30 PM CET / 12:30 PM PT
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Wildcard Gaming vs TBD
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Team Secret vs TBD
How to Get Twitch Drops and Rewards
Ubisoft is continuing the rewards program for viewers tuning in during the playoffs. The rewards include unique headgears, uniforms, charms and weapons skins for three operators. If you watched the group stage, you may have already unlocked the Dokkaebi set. For the playoffs, the rewards shift to skins for Doc, with a special set for Bandit reserved for the Finals.
How to Register:
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Visit the official registration page at https://drops-register.ubi.com.
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Log in and link your Twitch account with your Ubisoft account.
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Opt-in to the Drops feature.
Ensure your accounts are linked before you start watching the stream to ensure your watch time counts.
Predictions
The prediction window is currently open for the opening matches. These predictions must be locked in before the matches begin and will be updated daily throughout the playoffs. Head over to the predictions tab in the Battle Pass menu or the Official Predictions Webpage to lock in your picks for the winners of the opening matchups.
With the bracket set and the stakes higher than ever, the road to the Hammer is entering its most volatile phase. Whether G2 can maintain their miraculous momentum or the rested giants like FaZe and Team Secret will crush the opposition remains to be seen. The action kicks off tomorrow morning in Paris—make sure your predictions are locked, your accounts are linked, and you're ready for the final sprint of the 2026 season.
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Feature image credit: Michal Konkol/Ubisoft