| Date (2026) | Event | Location | Format | Prize Pool | Broadcast | |-------------|-------|----------|--------|------------|-----------| | | North America Qualifier – West Coast | Los Angeles Convention Center, CA, USA | 32‑player double‑elimination, best‑of‑3 | $15,000 | Twitch (MSGTOfficial) | | Feb 7–9 | North America Qualifier – East Coast | The Crossroads Expo, Toronto, Canada | Same as above | $15,000 | YouTube Gaming | | Feb 12–14 | European Qualifier – Central | Messe Frankfurt, Germany | 32‑player double‑elimination | €12,000 | Twitch & Facebook Gaming | | Feb 16–18 | European Qualifier – Nordic | Stockholm Expo & Arena, Sweden | Same as above | €8,000 | Twitch | | Feb 20–22 | APAC Qualifier – Southeast | Singapore Expo, Singapore | 32‑player double‑elimination | $12,000 | YouTube Gaming | | Feb 24–26 | APAC Qualifier – East | Tokyo Big Sight, Japan | Same as above | ¥1,500,000 | Twitch | | Mar 1–3 | LATAM Qualifier – South | São Paulo Convention Center, Brazil | 24‑player single‑elimination | $10,000 | Twitch | | Mar 5–7 | LATAM Qualifier – North | Mexico City Expo, Mexico | Same as above | $10,000 | YouTube Gaming | | Mar 10–12 | Regional Finals – North America | Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, USA | Top‑8 from each NA qualifier → double‑elim | $30,000 | Twitch + ESPN Esports | | Mar 14–16 | Regional Finals – Europe | Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, France | Top‑8 from EU qualifiers → double‑elim | €25,000 | YouTube | | Mar 18–20 | Regional Finals – APAC | Seoul COEX, South Korea | Top‑8 from APAC qualifiers → double‑elim | $30,000 | Twitch | | Mar 22–24 | Regional Finals – LATAM | Buenos Aires Centro de Convenciones, Argentina | Top‑8 from LATAM qualifiers → double‑elim | $20,000 | YouTube | | Mar 27–Apr 2 | Break / Content Creation Week | — | Community‑run “Metal Slug Remix” streams, dev Q&A with SNK | — | Twitch, Discord | | Apr 4–9 | Grand Finals – Tokyo | Tokyo Big Sight (Main Hall) | 16‑player double‑elim (2‑player teams) – Best‑of‑5 finals | $150,000 (total) | Twitch, YouTube, Nimo TV, Korean TV (MBC) | | Apr 10 | Award Ceremony & Meta‑Talk Panel | Same venue – auditorium | — | — | Live stream + post‑event VOD | | Jun 1–3 | Summer Showdown – NA East | Austin Convention Center, TX, USA | Invitational (8‑team) + fan‑vote side‑event | $25,000 | Twitch | | Jun 5–7 | Summer Showdown – EU Central | Warsaw Expo, Poland | Same as above | €20,000 | YouTube | | Jun 9–11 | Summer Showdown – APAC | Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre | Same as above | $25,000 | Twitch | | Jun 13–15 | Summer Showdown – LATAM | Bogotá Expo Center, Colombia | Same as above | $20,000 | YouTube | | Jul 1–31 | Online Ladder Season 3 | Global (Parsec) | Weekly ladder matches; top‑16 qualify for “Mid‑Season Invitational” | $30,000 | Twitch | | Aug 12–14 | Mid‑Season Invitational (MSI) – Online Finals | Global (Parsec) | Double‑elim, best‑of‑5 | $50,000 | Twitch + YouTube | | Sep 2–4 | Autumn Qualifier – NA West | Seattle Convention Center, WA, USA | Same format as Spring | $15,000 | Twitch | | Sep 6–8 | Autumn Qualifier – EU Nordic | Helsinki Expo & Arena, Finland | Same format | €8,000 | YouTube | | Sep 10–12 | Autumn Qualifier – APAC Central | Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Thailand | Same format | $12,000 | Twitch | | Sep 14–16 | Autumn Qualifier – LATAM South | Lima Convention Center, Peru | Same format | $10,000 | YouTube | | Oct 1–7 | Regional Finals – Autumn (All Regions) | Rotating venues (see detailed schedule) | Same as Spring finals | $120,000 total | Twitch + regional broadcasters | | Oct 15–21 | World Cup Qualifier – Online | Global | 64‑player single‑elim (open registration) | $40,000 | Twitch | | Nov 5–11 | World Cup Grand Finals – Seoul | COEX, Seoul, South Korea | 8‑team double‑elim, best‑of‑5 | $200,000 (incl. travel grants) | Twitch, YouTube, Korean TV (KBS) | | Nov 13 | Closing Ceremony & “Future of Metal Slug” Panel | Same venue | — | — | Live stream + post‑event recap | | Dec 1–31 | Off‑Season Community Events | Global (Discord, Reddit, local arcades) | “Speed‑run challenges, custom‑map contests, charity streams” | Varied (often swag) | Community channels |
Note: Dates are subject to change based on developer announcements. Check official social media channels for registration links. Quarter 1 (January – March) Winter Speedrun Summit: Features 1v1 Metal Slug 1 races. metal slug esports events schedule
Expected Timing: Regional qualifiers in Autumn; Global Finals in Spring. Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) & SGDQ | Date (2026) | Event | Location |
The Metal Slug series, a beloved franchise of run-and-gun action games, has been a staple of the gaming community for decades. With its fast-paced gameplay, colorful graphics, and nostalgic charm, it's no wonder that Metal Slug has become a popular title in the esports scene. In this article, we'll provide a detailed schedule of upcoming Metal Slug esports events, as well as information on the game's competitive scene and what to expect from these tournaments. Quarter 1 (January – March) Winter Speedrun Summit:
Last Chance Qualifier (Online) – 1 slot for worlds.
Holiday Community Gauntlet: A lighthearted, high-chaos tournament often featuring modified ROMs or unique challenge constraints. How to Stay Updated
Prepared: April 2026