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RLCS Season 8 Grand Finals: Everything you need to know ahead of the $500,000 tournament

RLCS Season 8

The regular season is over, the promotion and regional finals done and dusted, now it’s time for the showpiece event – this weekend’s RLCS Season 8 Grand Finals, it’s the biggest event in the Rocket League calendar and the winner can rightly claim to be the worlds best.

The bi-annual socCar event kicks with the group stages on Friday, December 12 and runs throughout the weekend, with the final to be held on Sunday, December 15. Twelve of the best Rocket League teams from around the world take to the stage at the Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain hoping to get their hands on the lion’s share of the $529,000 prize pool.

The Participants

12 teams from around the world will be making their way to Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid. Four from North American, another four from Europe and two each from Oceania and South America.

Each team has qualified through their respective regions leagues, with a few surprises in terms of who didn’t make it than who did. G2 and Cloud9, two mainstays of the NA region, had a disastrous season and found themselves in a relegation battle. They survived the relegation playoffs and will be in the RLCS next season, but it has shown everyone just how volatile life at the top of Rocket League can be.

With the tournament taking place in Europe it wouldn’t be a stretch to see a European team lift the trophy, especially after the tumultuous season many of the North American teams have had.

It would look like the team to beat are Team Reciprocity who defeated last seasons champions, Renault Vitality, to take home the European Regional Championship. However, Renault Vitality can count on the vast experience of Alexandre “Kaydop” Courant, who let’s not forget has won 3 out of the last 4 RLCS. Expect to see one or both of these teams in the final.

The best chance for a Grand Finals victory for North America in the absence of G2 and Cloud9 will be NRG Esports – the other three NA teams just don’t have the pedigree at this level, but again after this season who really knows.

TeamsRegionPlayers
Team Reciprocity EuropeFerra, Chausette45, fruity
Renault VitalityEuropeFairy Peak, Scrub Killa, Kaydrop
Veloce EsportsEuropeFlamE, FreaKii, Kassio
DignitasEuropeViolentPanda, Yukeo, AztraL
NRG EsportsNorth AmericaGarretG, jstn, Turbopolsa
Pittsburgh KnightsNorth AmericaExplosiveGyro, retals, mist
Spacestation GamingNorth AmericaSypical, AxB, Arsenal
eUnitedNorth Americahockser, Roll Dizz, ayjacks
RenegadesOceaniaTorsos, Kamii, Siki
Canberra HavocOceaniaWalcott, Le Duck, SPYDOGE
The Three SinsSouth Americamatix, math, valt
Lowkey EsportsSouth Americacarrd, tander, CaloTG1

RLCS Season 8 – Schedule + Format

RLCS Season 8 Grand Finals

Day 1 – Friday, December 13

  • Broadcast Begins – 14:00 GMT (06:00 PT)
  • Start of group stages

    12 teams split into 2 groups of 6.
    Double Elimination Bracket (All matches Bo5.)
    Top 3 teams from each group advance to the Playoffs. The winner of each group receives a bye into the Semifinals.

Day 2 – Saturday, December 14

  • Broadcast Begins – 14:00 CET (06:00 PT)
  • The culmination of group stages

Day 3 – Sunday, December 15

  • Broadcast Begins – 14:00 CET (06:00 PT)
  • Playoffs

    Single Elimination Bracket.
    All matches Bo7.

Click here for a full breakdown of the group stages including matchups.

Prize Money

Final StandingsPrize
1st$200,000
2nd$120,000
3rd – 4th$40,000
5th – 6th$24,750
7th – 8th$16,000
9th – 12th$12,000

How to watch the RLCS Season 8 Grand Finals

You can catch all of the action live from Madrid starting on Friday. The broadcast will begin each day at 14:00 GMT live on Twitch.

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Feature image courtesy of Psyonix