Since Ubisoft and BLAST announced the BLAST R6 Major Munich would include 16 teams — four less than the previous two Majors — fans have been wondering how the format would be adapted to make things work.
Eliminating the play-in phase and keeping the Swiss Stage as well as the playoffs was the obvious answer; and, in a way, that is what has happened... but there's a transforming twist: for the first time ever the playoffs of a Rainbow Six Siege Major will be a double-elimination bracket.
This was slightly teased in May 2025 when Ubisoft and BLAST shared Munich's BMW Park Arena would host the competition. According to their venue announcement, Phase 1 (Swiss Stage) would be played between November 8 and November 11 while Phase 2 (Playoffs) would be played on the 12, 14, 15, and 16 of November.
However, back then, no information about the playoff format was unveiled. Now, four weeks before the start of the BLAST R6 Major Munich, we finally know.
While the Swiss Stage will remain unchanged from previous BLAST R6 Majors, the playoffs will follow a double-elimination bracket which will last for four days. Here are the rounds included:
- November 12: Upper Bracket Quarterfinals (two matches) and Upper Bracket Semifinals
- November 14: Lower Bracket Round 1 (two matches) and Lower Bracket Quarterfinals (two matches)
- November 15: Upper Bracket Final, Lower Bracket Semifinal, and Lower Bracket Final
- November 16: BLAST R6 Major Munich grand final
This format means that the crowd in Munich will be able to attend a total of eight matches; four on Friday, three on Saturday, and one on Sunday. This is one more game for attendants compared to any other BLAST R6 Major or Six Major, which would include four quarterfinal series, two semifinal series, and the tournament's grand final.
Although BLAST and Ubisoft have yet to unveil how Swiss Stage teams will be placed on the playoff bracket, we expect the Swiss Stage top half by the end of November 11 to be distributed as follows in the playoff bracket:
- Upper Bracket Semifinals: Seeds 1 and 2 (3-0 teams)
- Upper Bracket Quarterfinals: Seeds 3, 4, 5, and 6 (3-1 teams)
- Lower Bracket Round 1: Seeds 7 and 8 (3-2 teams)
This hypothetical system would grant all teams that survive the Swiss Stage to play at least one match in front of the Munich crowd. It would also make final placement in the Swiss Stage even more important than before, as the best teams would be able to avoid the Lower Bracket and even one playoff round.
Keep in mind that the winner of the BLAST R6 Major Munich will automatically qualify for the Six Invitational 2026. Additionally, all teams in the competition will be awarded SI Points. Therefore, by the end of Munich, we will likely have a handful of teams confirmed to feature in next year's world championship.
For more information about Ubisoft, the BLAST R6 Major Munich, and Rainbow Six Siege X, make sure to stick with us here at Siege.gg, the best site for Rainbow Six Siege coverage and any other major FPS title.