Schedule

URKL 2026 season calendar

The inaugural URKL season runs from February to December 2026 in four stages: open tryouts, qualifiers, group stage and grand final. The league has not yet published day-level dates for every stage — this page is updated as they are announced.

• February 9, 2026 — Season launch. URKL 2026 announced at the Shenzhen press conference, with a tiered schedule running from February to December.

• April 3, 2026 — Global registration opens. Open to universities, companies and research labs worldwide — over 200 teams applied.

• July 16, 2026 — Opening night — Shenzhen. Opening gala at the Nanshan Culture and Sports Center: Matador def. White Eagle 3–2 in the exhibition match.

• From July 2026 — Qualifiers — 32 teams. The 32 qualified teams (China, United States, Poland, Singapore and more) enter the qualifiers right after the opening night.

• Dates TBA — Group stage. Double round-robin group matches.

• Dates TBA — Playoffs. Double-elimination bracket.

• December 2026 — Grand final. The first URKL world champion is crowned and takes home the pure gold championship belt, from a 10 million yuan prize pool.