The next chapter of competitive Fortnite is upon us with the FNCS Major format and Global Championship 2023.

Epic Games has officially unveiled plans for the Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) in 2023. Following the success of the FNCS Invitational, the powers that be are further legitimizing competitive Fortnite through the FNCS Major format. 

The new system includes a structured format across three Major tournaments and a Last Chance Major. This will culminate with a $4 million in-person event slated for late 2023, dubbed the Fortnite Champion Series Global Championship 2023. 

There’s a lot to digest with the new FNCS Major format and the next LAN event. Here’s everything you need to know. 

FNCS Major 1 format explained

Epic Games’ blog post indicates the new FNCS Major format will replace the current Elite Cup model, and duos will remain the primary game mode through the entirety of 2023.

“FNCS will be returning this year in a duos format for 2023 and FNCS Major 1 will temporarily replace the Elite Divisional Cups for a total of five weeks, and players that earn Elite Division in Chapter 4 Season 1 will unlock participation in FNCS Major 1.”

FNCS Major 1 features five weeks of competition, beginning with weekly sessions. For these sessions, qualified participants will compete on Wednesdays and Fridays for three consecutive weeks. Their combined scores at the end of each Friday session determine their overall leaderboard position. The top 50 duos will then secure a spot in the FNCS Major Weekly Finals. 

Each duo participating in the weekly FNCS Major tournaments will earn Series Points based on performance. The top 40 teams with the highest cumulative point total will advance to the FNCS Major 1 Grand Finals. 

What is the FNCS Major 1 Surge Week?

Now that we’ve covered the FNCS Major structure, let’s look at Surge Week. This tournament section applies to those teams that finish between 41st and 90th on the Series Point leaderboard. Surge Week allows those teams to grab one of the final FNCS Major 1 Grand Finals spots. 

These 50 teams will compete in five matches. Teams that earn Victory Royales in those games will automatically qualify for the Major 1 Grand Finals, as will the duos who finish sixth through tenth on the leaderboard. 

Major 1 Grand Finals explained

In March, ten teams from Surge Week will join the 40 duos mentioned earlier to fill out the FNCS Major 1 Grand Finals. The Grand Finals will occur across two days and 12 matches. 

Teams with the highest cumulative scores across both days will take home a sizable chunk of $2 million. Furthermore, the top-performing team secures a ticket to the FNCS Global Championship. 

Here’s a quick recap of FNCS Major 1 and how it works:

  • Open to all Elite Division players
  • Five weeks of competition
  • The top 40 duos based on cumulative points after three weekly sessions will qualify for the FNCS Major 1 Grand Finals
  • The top 10 duos (five Victory Royale winners and the five most consistent teams) from Surge Week will fill out the FNCS Major 1 Grand Finals field
  • $2 million prize pool in the Grand Finals and a chance to qualify for the FNCS Global Championship’s upper bracket

What is the Last Chance Major?

After three FNCS Majors, competitors have one final chance to secure a spot in the FNCS Global Championship. The FNCS Last Chance Major is that opportunity. Beginning with round one on August 24, the top 250 duos will advance to the second and final round. 

The second round occurs across two days, August 25 and 26. The top 250 teams will compete in 12 matches, and only a few spots per region are available. 

The FNCS Global Championship 2023

FNCS Invitational 2022 trophy
FNCS Invitational 2022 trophy

Fortnite’s next significant LAN event goes down later this year in Copenhagen, Denmark. While an exact date is unknown, teams will be battling through three Majors and multiple tournaments to appear on the grand stage. With $4 million on the line, this is the competition where legacies are defined. However, the FNCS Global Championship offers a unique format that we’ve never seen before. 

As mentioned briefly earlier, this tournament has an upper and lower bracket. A total of 75 duos will qualify for the event, which is where this new bracket system comes into play. 

Upper Bracket

The FNCS Global Championship kicks off with 50 duos in the upper bracket. These competitors will play five matches on day one, with the top 25 automatically securing their seats in the Grand Finals on day three. The others will drop down to the lower bracket, where 25 “Last Chance” duos await their arrival. 

Lower Bracket

On day two, the bottom 25 duos from day one will compete against each other and the 25 Last Chance Qualifier duos. These 50 duos must battle through five matches. Only the top 25 duos can make it from the lower bracket to the Grand Finals. 

Fortnite will crown its first FNCS Global Championship winners on day three after six intense matches. 

Here is a breakdown of the FNCS Major qualifying spots available per region. This list totals the 75 teams that will compete at the FNCS Global Champions:

Major 1

  • EU — 2 Qualifying Duos
  • NA East — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • NA West — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Brazil — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Oceania — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Middle East — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Asia — 1 Qualifying Duo

Major 2

  • EU — 5 Qualifying Duos
  • NA East — 2 Qualifying Duos
  • NA West — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Brazil — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Oceania — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Middle East — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Asia — 1 Qualifying Duo

Major 3

  • EU — 10 Qualifying Duos 
  • NA East — 7 Qualifying Duos
  • NA West — 3 Qualifying Duos
  • Brazil — 3 Qualifying Duos
  • Oceania — 2 Qualifying Duos
  • Middle East — 2 Qualifying Duos
  • Asia — 3 Qualifying Duos

Last Chance Major

  • EU — 9 Qualifying Duos
  • NA East — 5 Qualifying Duos
  • NA West — 3 Qualifying Duos
  • Brazil — 3 Qualifying Duos
  • Oceania — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Middle East — 1 Qualifying Duo
  • Asia — 3 Qualifying Duos

Here’s a look at the FNCS Major schedule as it stands:

Major 1

  • Weekly Competitions — February 2-5, February 9-12, February 16-19
  • Surge Week — February 24-26
  • Grand Finals — March 3-5

Major 2

  • Weekly Competitions — April 13-16, April 20-23, April 27-30
  • Surge Week — May 5-7
  • Grand Finals — May 12-14

Major 3 & Global Championship

  • Weekly Competitions — July 20-23, July 27-30, August 3-6
  • Surge Week — August 11-13
  • Grand Finals — August 18-20
  • Last Chance Major — August 24-27
  • Global Championship 2023 — Late 2023

Lastly, here’s a look at the prize pool distribution for the FNCS Majors and Global Championship:

  • Major 1, 2, and 3 — $2,000,000 each ($6,000,000 total)
  • Global Championship 2023 — $4,000,000

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