With the Fall 2026 regular season complete, C3 Esports has shifted its focus toward final preparations for the Playoff LAN and Carolina Esports Festival.
During a community address, C3 Commissioner Nathan Hedrick provided players, coaches, managers, and spectators with an overview of what to expect before and during the four-day event.
The update covered both competitive and operational information, including qualification changes, schedules, check-ins, team requirements, lodging, communications, and spectator policies.

Qualification Fields Continue to Adjust

The address began with a review of the teams that finished inside the qualification positions.
Some positions remained subject to change because of tiebreakers or qualified teams being unable to attend.
In Rocket League, C3 clarified that the final qualification position was affected by a head-to-head tiebreaker.
ENT had initially appeared in the eighth position in the standings, but Chapel Hill held the applicable head-to-head result and therefore moved into the LAN field.
ENT moved to ninth and remained the next team in line if another qualified team became unable to attend.
The address identified Charlotte, Gamecock Esports, NC State, UNCG, CIU, Clemson, and Chapel Hill among the qualified Rocket League teams. One position was not clearly stated during that portion of the address.

Valorant Field Receives an Attendance Update

UNCW finished the Valorant regular season at 7-0 and entered the postseason as the top seed.
Niner Esports White finished 6-1 in second, followed by Lander Esports at 6-1.
Niner Esports qualified in fourth at 5-2, followed by CSU and Lander Esports Gold.
Elon and Clemson originally occupied the remaining positions.
Elon later informed C3 that it would not have enough available roster members to attend the event.
As a result, USC Upstate moved into the eighth qualification position.
Clemson's attendance was still being evaluated at the time of the address.
If Clemson became unable to attend, High Point University was identified as the next team in line.
C3 stated that any additional withdrawals would continue to move teams up the standings in order.

Overwatch Field Also Changes

The Overwatch qualification list discussed during the address included UNCW, UNC Asheville, App State, Clemson, ECU, Wake Forest, High Point, and Wake Tech.
UNCW later informed C3 that its Overwatch team would not be attending LAN.
That opened another position in the field.
C3 stated that it would continue moving down the standings until all eight LAN positions were filled.
Because of these attendance changes, teams immediately outside qualification positions were advised to remain available until the final field was confirmed.

Final LAN Rosters Must Be Submitted

Qualified teams will receive direct communication from C3 regarding their final LAN rosters.
Each program's listed point of contact or team representative will receive a roster submission link.
Teams will need to provide the players, substitutes, coaches, staff, and other approved attendees who will be present in Spartanburg.
That information will be used for event operations and the creation of individual attendee badges.
Teams with questions were asked to use C3's support ticket system rather than contacting the commissioner directly.

Playoffs Begin Online Before LAN

C3 also confirmed that qualified teams will play an additional online postseason match before traveling to USC Upstate.
The additional round was created because fitting three eight-team competitions entirely within the four-day LAN schedule would require significantly longer event days.
These matches will determine where teams enter the on-site portion of their respective playoff brackets.
C3 described the round as an unofficial additional week for the Top 8 teams.
Standard seeding will be used, including matchups such as the first seed against the eighth seed.
Overwatch will play its online opening matches Monday at 8 PM.
Rocket League will primarily play Tuesday at 8 PM, with one match potentially scheduled for 9 PM.
Valorant will play Wednesday.
Teams unable to compete during the assigned window were instructed to submit a support ticket as soon as possible.
The online opening matches will use best-of-three series.

Thursday LAN Schedule

The results of the online opening matches affect when Rocket League and Overwatch teams begin competing at LAN.
Rocket League teams that lose their online opener will begin on Thursday at 9 AM.
C3 strongly recommended that affected teams arrive in Spartanburg Wednesday night because the Thursday morning start time will not have scheduling flexibility.
Overwatch competition follows Rocket League.
Valorant is scheduled to begin its on-site GSL stage at approximately 12:45 PM Thursday.
Because Valorant matches generally require longer time blocks, its tournament structure has been adjusted differently from Rocket League and Overwatch.
The goal is for every Valorant team to play at least two matches Thursday.
No Valorant team is expected to be eliminated during Thursday's competition.

Friday Schedule

Friday will operate differently depending on game title and previous results.
Valorant will begin with its first elimination round.
The first Valorant block is scheduled from approximately 9 AM through 12:15 PM if the full allotted match time is required.
Two Valorant teams are expected to be eliminated Friday.
Rocket League and Overwatch teams that won their online opening matches will begin their on-site competition Friday.
Teams that lost their online opening matches will have already begun Thursday.
Depending on results, some Rocket League and Overwatch teams may have a day without matches before returning for elimination play.

Saturday Elimination Rounds

Saturday will contain a significant portion of the elimination bracket.
Rocket League will play its lower first round and lower quarterfinals.
Four Rocket League teams are expected to be eliminated Saturday.
Overwatch will follow a similar competitive structure.
Valorant will play its lower quarterfinals and semifinals.
A larger gap is built into the Valorant schedule between rounds.
C3 explained that the spacing allows eliminated teams from other titles to finish earlier and begin traveling home rather than remaining at the venue late into the evening.

Sunday Championship Schedule

Sunday will conclude competition across all three titles.
Rocket League will play its semifinals, third-place match, and Grand Final.
Overwatch will also complete its semifinals, third-place match, and Grand Final.
Valorant will finish with its third-place match and Grand Final.
Rocket League is expected to conclude later in the day because its shorter average match duration provides additional scheduling flexibility.

Teams Should Arrive Before Posted Match Times

C3 emphasized that the LAN will operate on a rolling schedule.
Posted match times should therefore be treated as estimates rather than exact arrival times.
If earlier matches finish ahead of schedule, later matches may begin earlier than originally listed.
Teams will receive check-in windows scheduled well before their estimated match times.
Players were advised to arrive approximately two hours before competition whenever possible.
That time will be used for check-in, setup, warmups, photography, and preparation.
Teams that arrive too late to complete check-in or be ready when called may receive a forfeit.
C3 stated that schedule requirements will be enforced more strictly at LAN because of the number of matches being played across the four-day event.

Teams Will Receive Individual Schedules

Qualified programs will receive multiple schedule documents.
A master schedule will be provided to managers and primary team contacts.
That schedule will include match windows, check-in times, warmup assignments, team photography, and other event responsibilities.
Each title will also receive a simplified game-specific schedule.
Rocket League teams will receive a Rocket League schedule.
Valorant teams will receive a Valorant schedule.
Overwatch teams will receive an Overwatch schedule.
The goal is to make event information easier for individual teams to follow.

Team Photography Is Required

Every participating team will have photographs taken during the event.
Photography windows will be scheduled around each team's check-in and competitive schedule.
Teams will not need to arrive at the beginning of every event day solely for photography.
The earlier check-in windows are intended to provide enough time for photos, warmups, and other team responsibilities without delaying competition.

TeamSpeak Will Be Used for Competition

C3 confirmed that TeamSpeak will be used for competitive communications during the LAN.
The event will use a C3 TeamSpeak server hosted locally at the venue.
Event accounts will be prepared in advance so players will not need to create personal accounts when they arrive.
The communication setup is intended to provide teams with a consistent competitive environment and low-latency voice communications during matches.

Merchandise and Vendors

The Carolina Esports Festival will include vendors related to gaming, esports, and the event community.
C3 will also operate its own merchandise table.
Expected items include hats, tumbler mugs, shirts, and hoodies.
Festival flags will remain available online rather than at the physical merchandise table.
C3 stated that some merchandise will be available at a lower price during the event than through the online store.
Revenue from merchandise will be reinvested into league operations.
C3 identified future prize pool growth, team lodging assistance, and other event improvements as areas that could benefit from additional revenue.

Hotel Information

C3 is working with the local visitor bureau to provide hotel options for participating teams.
The planned system is not a traditional single-property hotel block.
Instead, teams are expected to receive access to a booking link containing multiple participating hotels and available event pricing.
At the time of the community address, the booking link had not yet been provided to C3.
Teams were told that the information would be published once it became available.
C3 is also working to provide financial assistance toward lodging costs for participating teams.
However, the league is not currently guaranteeing full hotel coverage.
The amount of assistance will depend on available funding.

Prize Pools

At the time of the address, C3 expected each title to have approximately $1,000 in prize money.
Prize money will be distributed among the top three finishing teams.
Additional sponsorship support may increase the available prize pools before the event.
C3 also stated that additional funding may first be prioritized toward reducing lodging costs for participating programs.

Volunteers Are Needed

C3 is continuing to recruit volunteers for the Carolina Esports Festival.
Available roles may include broadcast production, game-title support, tournament operations, and general event assistance.
Volunteers do not need to commit to all four event days.
Students traveling with participating programs may also volunteer during the portion of the event in which they are available.
Approved volunteers will not need to purchase spectator tickets.

Spectator Tickets Are Required

Players, approved coaches, team staff, volunteers, and other credentialed participants will receive event access based on their assigned role.
General spectators will need to purchase tickets.
This includes family members, friends, classmates, and other guests attending primarily to watch the event.
At the time of the community address, tickets were available at a 20% promotional discount through October 31.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-2026-carolina-esports-festival-tickets-2002963654208?aff=oddtdtcreator

Player Areas Will Have Restricted Access

A separate player area will be available for participating teams.
The space will include warmup computers and an area where players can prepare away from the main festival floor.
Access will be restricted to approved team members and staff.
General spectators and team guests will not be permitted inside the player-only space.
Public festival and spectator areas will remain available for players to spend time with family members, friends, and other attendees.

QR Badges Will Be Used for Check-In

Approved attendees will receive event badges containing unique QR codes.
Participants will be expected to bring their badges each day.
C3 staff will scan badges as attendees arrive.
The system will allow tournament staff to track team attendance and identify missing players or staff before scheduled competition begins.

Teams Should Begin Preparing Now

The community address concluded with several reminders for qualified programs.
Teams should finalize their LAN rosters as soon as their submission link becomes available.
Players and managers should carefully review their schedules and check-in windows.
Programs with early Thursday matches should plan to arrive in Spartanburg Wednesday.
Teams should monitor C3 communications for hotel information.
Anyone interested in volunteering should contact C3 before the event.
Spectators should review ticket information before attending.
C3 also acknowledged that several areas of the Fall 2026 Season will be reviewed during the offseason, with additional operational improvements planned for future competition.
For now, C3's focus is on completing preparations for the Fall 2026 postseason.


The C3 Carolina Esports Festival and Fall 2026 Playoff LAN will take place November 19 through November 22 at USC Upstate in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

More Information Here: https://c3esports.com/events/c3-fall-2026-carolina-esports-festival-9b8fda17