Apex Series
Apex Series · $1.2M · 16 teams
The season's marquee event. Double-elimination bracket, BO5 semifinals and final, two-week run. Volta took the title from Ivory in a five-map finals.
Editorial · Tournaments
The season's brackets, one desk, one calendar.
Six flagship tournaments, four smaller regional cups, and a long qualifier calendar that runs from January to November. Zino's tournament desk covers the bracket, the format, the schedule, the prize pool, and the editorial read that ties them all together.
Flagship events
Six brackets the desk is tracking this season
A short read on each flagship event — operator, format, prize pool, broadcast partner, and where the season stands right now.
Nexus Cup
Nexus Cup · $650K · 12 teams · EMEA
European and MENA showcase. Play-in open, double-elimination upper bracket, BO3 throughout. Cloudwave holds the defending title.
Forge Major
Forge Major · $540K · 16 teams · APAC
The Asia-Pacific major. Group stage, then double-elimination bracket. Northern Vector is the defending champion.
Citadel Open
Citadel Open · $420K · 10 teams · Americas
Americas showcase. Single-elimination bracket with a third-place match, BO5 final. Halcyon won the spring edition.
Sprint League
Sprint League · $310K · 8 teams · Global
Mid-season invitational. BO3 throughout, BO5 final. Invitation only, eight teams picked by operator and partner circuit.
Compass Tour
Compass Tour · $240K · 12 teams · Multi-region
Year-long regional tour with a global finals. Three regional stops feed a four-team finals in November. Best entry point for newer fans.
Schedule
Full match index →
The next four weeks on the desk
Match-day calendar covering qualifiers, group stages, bracket rounds, and finals across the six flagship events.
04Aug
Nexus Cup · Play-in day 3
Three best-of-three matches across groups A and B · 14:00 UTC start
Pool$650K
06Aug
Forge Major · Bracket round 1
Upper bracket opening · BO3 matches across four pairings · 09:00 UTC start
Pool$540K
11Aug
Citadel Open · Roster lock
Final roster submissions close at 23:59 UTC · Ten teams confirmed
Pool$420K
13Aug
Sprint League · Quarterfinals
Four BO3 matches · 16:00 UTC start · All eight teams still in contention
Pool$310K
18Aug
Compass Tour · Group A closes
Two final group matches · Seeds decided for regional finals
Pool$240K
22Aug
Nexus Cup · Upper bracket semis
BO3 matches · Two matches per day · Defending champion Cloudwave begins run
Pool$650K
28Aug
Forge Major · Quarterfinals
BO3 · Top four seeds enter at this stage · Cross-region pairings begin
Pool$540K
Format
How each flagship tournament is structured
A side-by-side read on the format decisions that shape each bracket — group stage, upper/lower splits, BO length, and grand final reset rules.
| Tournament | Group stage | Bracket | Semis | Finals | Grand final reset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Series | Round robin (4 groups of 4) | Double elimination | BO5 | BO5 | Yes (BO7) |
| Nexus Cup | Swiss (open play-in) | Double elimination | BO3 | BO5 | Yes (BO5) |
| Forge Major | Round robin (2 groups of 8) | Double elimination | BO3 | BO5 | Yes (BO5) |
| Citadel Open | None — bracket only | Single elimination | BO5 | BO5 | No |
| Sprint League | None — bracket only | Single elimination | BO3 | BO5 | No |
| Compass Tour | Round robin (per region) | Regional single elim | BO3 | BO3 | No |
Format notes reflect publicly announced rules at the start of each tournament. Local organisers may adjust round lengths mid-event in exceptional cases.
Editor's read
Three storylines worth a closer look
What the desk is watching in the next four weeks, beyond the schedule.
Volta's month of brackets
Two weeks after taking the Apex Series title, Volta opens the Sprint League as the headline team. The desk is watching whether the team's preparation window — four days between finals and quarterfinals — is enough to reset.
Cloudwave's quiet reset
Two roster moves in two weeks. A support swap, a flex promotion, and a new IGL on loan for the Nexus Cup run. The desk's take: the moves are small but cumulative.
Watching
How to follow each tournament
Where the broadcasts run, who casts, and what time each event opens in your timezone.
Broadcast
Official broadcasts
Every flagship event ships with a dedicated production company. Caster list, observer team, and replay integration are announced two weeks before the bracket opens.
Casters
Caster rotations
Two-caster booths for group stages, three-caster for bracket play. Pre-show 30 minutes before the first match, post-show 15 minutes after the last map.
Timezones
Time-zone aware
Match-day times are listed in UTC. Zino's tournament pages include a per-timezone toggle that shows local match times for major markets.
From the desk
All news →
Latest from the tournament desk
Apex Series
Apex Series grand finals: how Volta closed a 2-1 deficit to take the title
The grand finals came down to three rounds on the slowest map in the pool. Volta's read on the pick-ban was the story.
Roster
Cloudwave confirms two roster moves ahead of Nexus Cup play-in
A support swap and a flex promotion. The desk reads the move, the cap implications, and what to watch on day one.
Patch
Patch 14.7 tier list: what changed, what to play, what to ban
A short, useful read on the patch's three biggest swings and the meta shifts pro teams will explore next week.
FAQ
Tournament questions we hear often
How does Zino pick which tournaments to cover?
We cover every major-region flagship event with a confirmed operator, public bracket, and broadcast partner. Smaller events get a note in the ticker.
Are prize pools guaranteed?
Figures reflect publicly announced amounts at the start of the qualifier window. Crowdfunded or partner-contributed additions may increase the final pool.
What's the difference between a Major and an Open?
A Major is a partner-circuit event with operator-vetted team invitations. An Open runs a public qualifier and accepts all registered teams.
Where can I watch a tournament?
Official broadcasts carry caster audio and observer cameras. Zino's guide page lists the broadcast partner and regional casters for each event.
🔞 Adults only · 18+
Zino is an editorial desk.
We cover brackets and team form because the season is worth following — not because there's a bet to place. If you choose to use the PLAY NOW route, set a budget, set a timer, and stop when either runs out.
Where to get help
National Council on Problem Gambling (US): 1-800-522-4700 · GamCare (UK): 0808-8020-133 · BeGambleAware (EU): begambleaware.org · Gamblers Anonymous: ga.org
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