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FISSURE has officially confirmed that Shenzhen, China will play host to its next major Counter-Strike tournament, FISSURE Playground 3, running from 20 to 26 April 2026. The announcement came during the grand-final of Playground 2, moments before FURIA lifted their first ever S-tier trophy after defeating The MongolZ.

The upcoming tournament not only brings Counter-Strike back to China but also introduces a refreshed format and a massive $1.5 million prize pool that will be spread across multiple categories.

Prize Pool and Rewards

The distribution for FISSURE Playground 3 is one of the most detailed seen in recent events. Here’s the breakdown:

  • Prize Money (total $450,000): Teams earn direct placement rewards, with $165,000 for first place and payouts scaling down to $5,000 for 16th.
  • Club Rewards (total $550,000): Additional bonuses tied to placement, with the winners pocketing $135,000 and consistent payouts through the full bracket.
  • Top-8 VRS Team Bonus ($250,000): The top eight teams in the Valve Global Rankings who agree to participate will receive extra bonuses, ranging from $60,000 to $10,000.
  • Top-10 Loyalty Bonus ($250,000): Teams that commit to at least two out of three FISSURE tournaments in 2026 will unlock further rewards, distributed via a token system at the end of the year.

Beyond the prize money, FISSURE is also covering $350,000 worth of hospitality, including flights, hotels, daily meals, practice rooms, and transfers for all participating teams.

Format and Qualification

The Main Event will feature 16 teams:

  • 15 directly invited teams based on Valve’s Global Rankings.
  • 1 team from the Closed Qualifier.

The structure is set as follows:

  • Groups: Two double-elimination GSL groups of eight teams each.
  • Playoffs: Six teams advance to the final stage, with best-of-three series in the quarterfinals and semifinals, and a best-of-five grand final.

The path to the main stage will run through regional open qualifiers:

  • One team from the China Open Qualifier.
  • One team from the Oceanic Open Qualifier.
  • One team from the Asia Open Qualifier.
    These winners move into the Asia Closed Qualifier, which also includes the top five Asia VRS teams. Only one team from this stage will advance to Shenzhen.

All invitations and seedings will be determined using Valve’s Global Rankings, with the final list published on 2 March 2026.

Why Shenzhen Matters

Known as the Silicon Valley of China, Shenzhen has never hosted an S-tier Counter-Strike event before. With international teams flying in and such a large investment into hospitality and prize incentives, Playground 3 is set to be a milestone for both the city and the global esports calendar.

After FURIA’s historic victory at Playground 2, all eyes will now shift to Shenzhen in April 2026 to see who can rise above the world’s best and claim the lion’s share of the $1.5 million prize pool.