Overwatch Collegiate returns with NACE partnership

Blizzard Entertainment has announced the return of Overwatch Collegiate for the 2025-2026 academic year, partnering with the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) to deliver two seasons of competition with over $140,000 (~£105,000) in scholarship prizing.

The revamped programme launches this fall with registration opening on August 5th, featuring a new Varsity division alongside the existing Open competition format. The year will culminate in a live LAN finals event during the spring season.

According to the announcement, the programme has been restructured to accommodate different competitive goals, from casual friend groups to established varsity programmes. The collaboration with NACE introduces stricter eligibility requirements for varsity play, including dedicated on-campus facilities and institutional oversight.

“As Collegiate Esport programs have matured over the years, so have unique individual player, team and school esport program goals,” Blizzard stated in the release.

The 2025-2026 season splits competition into Open and Varsity divisions. Open competition remains available to all eligible institutions in the US and Canada, allowing schools to field multiple teams. Meanwhile, the new Varsity division restricts participation to NACE member institutions with one team per school.

Fall Homecoming competition begins in September for NACE Varsity Premier teams, with National Open play starting in October. The schedule has been designed to allow schools to participate in both divisions without conflicts.

The Fall Homecoming season features a $42,000 (~£31,500) scholarship prize pool split between divisions. National Open teams will compete for $28,000 (~£21,000) through a Swiss stage format followed by a 16-team single-elimination playoff bracket. Varsity Premier offers $14,000 (~£10,500) through regional group play leading to a 32-team playoff bracket.

Details for the Spring Championship remain limited, though Blizzard confirmed it will feature a LAN finals event with $100,000 (~£75,000) in scholarship prizing. Registration for the spring season will open after the Fall Homecoming concludes.

NACE member schools can also participate in Varsity Plus, a ranked division designed for developing rosters that cannot compete in the main Varsity Premier competition due to the one-team-per-school restriction.

Registration for all Fall Homecoming divisions opened on August 5th. National Open registration closes on September 22nd, while Varsity Premier registration ends September 2nd. All participants must create LeagueSpot accounts using verified student email addresses.

National Open competition runs from October 2nd to November 16th, with matches defaulting to Thursdays. Varsity Premier begins earlier on September 8th and concludes November 16th, with Monday as the default match day.

Participants who complete their season in good standing will receive Overwatch Collegiate participation rewards, including both returning incentives and new items.

Schools interested in joining NACE for varsity competition can submit interest forms through the organisation’s website. The partnership marks a significant investment in collegiate Overwatch infrastructure as programmes continue to mature across North America.