How to watch the RLCS Winter Split: format and roster changes

The RLCS Winter Split starts on Friday with a new format. After a month-long break, four out of the eight regions will continue their season, while the other four will play a week later. Here’s how to watch, how the new format is set up and which rosters made the most notable changes during the transfer window.

How to watch the RLCS Winter Split 2021-2022

The RLCS Winter Split is spread over three regional events, played weekly with the regions alternating. On Fridays, Day 1 is played but not broadcast on the main channel. Instead, the games will be hosted by the teams themselves. The following North American teams will host their games at 1 p.m. ET on Friday:

• Complexity
• FaZe Clan
• G2 Esports
• Ghost Gaming
• NRG Esports
• Oxygen Esports
• RBG Esports
• Rogue Esports
• Shopify Rebellion
• Spacestation Gaming
• Soniqs
• Team Envy
• Torrent Esports
• Version1
• Vibrance
• XSET

After Day 1, the main Rocket League channel will take over on Twitch and YouTube for Saturdays and Sundays. Check out the full schedule for the RLCS 2021-2022 season, including the Winter Split.

Winter Split format

Where the RLCS Fall Split employed a Swiss system, each RLCS Winter Split regional will be group stage into double-elimination. However, only the first place finishers of each group will have a second life in the knockout bracket. No. 2 and 3 will enter the second stage in the lower bracket, while the fourth-place finisher will be eliminated.

The grand final will require the lower bracket team to win two best-of-sevens to take home the victory.

Notable team changes

During the transfer window between the RLCS Fall Split and Winter Split, North America made the most high-profile roster changes. Team Envy and G2 Esports made a direct swap between Massimo “Atomic” Franceschi and Andres “dreaz” Jordan. Meanwhile, Version1’s Jesus “gimmick” Parra departed the team for Oxygen Esports. He was replaced by Landon “BeastMode” Konerman, who unexpectedly took a break from Rocket League earlier in the season.

Spacestation Gaming picked up one of the biggest talents in North America with Daniel. The coveted youngster finally became eligible to play in the RLCS ahead of the Winter Split and took over Caden “Sypical” Pellegrin’s spot. Sypical, in turn, moved to FaZe Clan, replacing Braxton “Allushin” Lagarec. Christopher “Aqua.” Campbell, another talented youngster who became eligible, joined Rogue. All in all, North America saw some major shake-ups, making the Winter Split hard to predict.

For the European RLCS Winter Split, everything remained fairly stable. Thomas “ThO.” Binkhorst was replaced on Heroic by Maurice “Yukeo” Weihs. This reunites him with Jos “ViolentPanda” van Meurs, who he previously teamed with on Dignitas. Daniel “Bluey” Bluett was dropped by Guild Esports after a disappointing fall split and replaced by Cristian “crr” Fernandez from FC Barcelona, who dropped their entire roster. The top nine teams all stuck together.

In Asia, top team Pulse Clan let the roster go to search for an organization that can financially support them, and they also lost Joshua “ballerrees” Tng, who is unable to play LANs due to his military service. He has been replaced by Jules “Kaotik” Blondel.

Of the top South American teams, Fall Major competitors eRa Eternity saw Matheus “math” Gonçalves move to direct competitor Noble Esports. His replacement is yet to be announced.