Hello guys,
I’m excited to invite you to participate in a new season of Bombastic StarLeague. This is BSL’s ninth year, and our goal is still to give you a reason to practise and improve at this wonderful game.
This is an important transition season. We’re introducing technical changes that will be automated on our new website in the future. Feel free to test it and send us your feedback.
ProLeague returns from 36 to 28 spots. We’re introducing Ground Floor to protect the lower divisions from facing returning ProLeague players from last season. Open Qualifier and Ladder Tour games count towards the minimum games required to qualify for each league. We’re also replacing tiers with an additional league: JungsuLeague. Returning seeds and their destinations are listed below.
ZZZero
Season timeline
Battle.net ladder stage
September 20 – October 15, 2026
How to enter the ladder
- Create your BSL account
Use the BSL- tag on any Battle.net gateway: BSL-MadiNho, BSL-Adun, BSL-LML.
- Register at the website
Add your BSL- account at bombasticstarleague.com before playing — 0:0 stats only. Season signup
- Play ladder
Ladder stage: September 20 – October 15.
- Join Discord
Join BSL Discord.
- Confirm participation
After the ladder closes, confirm on Discord by the deadline below. Failure to confirm = disqualification.
Confirm on Discord after the ladder closes
ProLeague: within 12 hours.
Gosu, Jungsu, Hasu & Chobo: within one week.
This is the last season with Discord confirmation. From next season, confirmations move to the new website. Your BSL23 results establish the basis for next season’s Ground Floor.
Open Qualifiers & Ladder Tournaments
Season overview
Gosu, Jungsu and Hasu may expand through Ground Floor seeds.
ChoboLeague requires 10 Activity Games and participation confirmation.
Ladder-fill
Remaining places after returning seeds and tournament qualification.
- ProLeague RO24
- 10 slots
- GosuLeague
- 10 slots
- JungsuLeague
- 6 slots
- HasuLeague
- 6 slots
Tournament places
- Pro & Gosu qualifier1st–2nd → ProLeague
3rd–4th → GosuLeague - Jungsu & Hasu qualifier1st–2nd → JungsuLeague
3rd–4th → HasuLeague - Last Chance Qualifier1st–2nd → ProLeague
One Open Qualifier track per player per day.
Tournament signups
Ladder Tour #1
$100 · no league slots
21:00 CEST · 15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT
Open Qualifier #1
Choose one track · both start at the same time
21:00 CEST · 15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT
Ladder Tour #2
$100 · no league slots
21:00 CEST · 15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT
Open Qualifier #2
Choose one track · both start at the same time
21:00 CEST · 15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT
Ladder Tour #3
$100 · no league slots
21:00 CEST · 15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT
Open Qualifier #3
Choose one track · both start at the same time
21:00 CEST · 15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT
Battle.net ladder closes
Confirm participation on Discord after the ladder stage.
Last Chance Qualifier #1
Top 2 → ProLeague
21:00 CEST · 15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT
Last Chance Qualifier #2
Top 2 → ProLeague · RO24 draw follows
21:00 CEST · 15:00 EDT / 12:00 PDT
Ladder Tours are cash tournaments only. Their completed maps count as Activity Games.
Open Qualifiers · Match format & match-day checklist
| Open Qualifier round | Format |
|---|---|
| Winners’ bracket | BO3 |
| Losers’ bracket before quarterfinals | BO1 |
| Losers’ quarterfinals, semifinals & final | BO3 |
| Grand Final | Not played |
- Join #op BSL on the Europe gateway.
- Play under your real nickname.
- Be online on BSL Discord.
- Opening maps are pre-set. In BO3, the winner bans one map and the loser picks the next map.
Returning seeds & league slots
You may accept your returning seed and still try to qualify for a higher league.
ProLeague28 players · 24 RO24 + 4 direct RO16
GosuLeague24 players minimum · Seeds & slot allocation
JungsuLeague20 players minimum · Seeds & slot allocation
HasuLeague20 players minimum · Seeds & slot allocation
ChoboLeagueUncapped · Eligible remaining players
10 Activity Games and participation confirmation required.
ChoboLeague has no Open Qualifier track.
League formats
ProLeague · 28 players
6 groups of 4
Top 2 per group advance
All matches BO3
BSL22 ProLeague top 4
4 groups of 4 · top 2 advance
All matches BO3
8 players · winners’ and losers’ brackets
WB player starts 1:0 · Map selection · December 20 · 21:00 Europe/Warsaw
Gosu, Jungsu, Hasu & Chobo
One BO3/BO5 per week to pre-play.
Final standings determine bracket entry.
8 players · BO5
4 winners advance
Direct to Round 2
Single elimination · BO5
4 players → 2 finalists
ProLeague RO8 Format
| Round | Series |
|---|---|
| Winners’ bracket | BO5 |
| Winners’ bracket final | BO7 |
| Losers’ bracket Round 1 | BO3 |
| Losers’ bracket from Round 2 | BO5 |
| Losers’ bracket final | BO7 |
| Grand Final | BO9 · WB player starts 1:0 |
Ground Floor & Activity Games
Ground Floor is the minimum league you can qualify for by completing the required Activity Games.
If you played ProLeague last season, you cannot play in HasuLeague or JungsuLeague.
For BSL23, your Ground Floor is based on BSL22 results only.
Example · ZZZero
Played in BSL22 ProLeague → if he plays 30 Activity Games → he has GosuLeague secured, regardless of final MMR or ladder position.
If you did not play BSL22, older results do not provide a floor. Qualify through Open Qualifiers, LCQs or ladder/activity-fill.
Activity Games
One played map = one Activity Game. Count ladder maps and completed official BSL pre-season tournament maps: Open Qualifiers, LCQs and Ladder Tours.
| League | Games required |
|---|---|
| ProLeague | 40 |
| GosuLeague | 30 |
| JungsuLeague | 25 |
| HasuLeague | 20 |
| ChoboLeague | 10 |
Games that do not count
Sign-up without playing, no-show, bye or free win without a played map, player-caused walkover, DQ and unplayed matches.
Confirm participation on Discord after the ladder stage.
BSL22 Ground Floor list · 83 players
GosuLeague floor · 30 Activity Games · 35 players
Complete 30 Activity Games to secure GosuLeague, regardless of your final MMR or ladder position.
JungsuLeague floor · 25 Activity Games · 16 players
Complete 25 Activity Games to secure JungsuLeague, regardless of your final MMR or ladder position.
HasuLeague floor · 20 Activity Games · 16 players
Complete 20 Activity Games to secure HasuLeague, regardless of your final MMR or ladder position.
ChoboLeague floor · 10 Activity Games · 16 players
Complete 10 Activity Games to secure ChoboLeague, regardless of your final MMR or ladder position.
Maps & starting maps
First map of each group-stage match
| Match | RO24 | RO16 |
|---|---|---|
| Games 1 & 2 | Neo Sylphid | Attitude |
| Winners & Losers Match | Knock Out | Backrooms |
| Final Match | Dominator | Pole Star |
In BO3 after the opening map: the winner bans one map, then the loser picks from the remaining maps. No repeats within the series.
RO8 bracket & Grand Final · Map selection
RO8 · BO5 & BO7
- Complete all vetoes and map picks before the match.
- The player with the higher ladder rank decides the veto order.
- BO5: A bans → B bans → A picks → B picks → A picks → B picks → remaining map is the decider.
- No repeated maps within a BO5 or BO7 series.
Grand Final · BO9
The winners’ bracket player starts with a 1:0 lead. Up to eight maps are played.
- Maps 1–7: players alternate picks from the seven-map pool, starting with the losers’ bracket player: LB → WB → LB → WB → LB → WB → LB. Each map is used once.
- If map 8 is needed: return to the full seven-map pool. The LB player bans four maps; the WB player picks the last map from the remaining three.
Broadcast schedule
RO24 Group Stage
RO16 Group Stage
Playoffs & Grand Finals
All dates are in 2026. CEST through October 24; CET from October 25.
Talent & Staff
English casters
Machine
XUN
MadiNho
Gooseheaded
Spanish casters
YUANG
OliPatrickRussian casters
3DClanRU
Production & admins
ZZZero
LMLAdministration & Staff
AdminsLML & ZZZero
StaffCamoDaz, PsyCrowe, tom, Razz & Radley
- ProLeague admin
- ZZZero
- GosuLeague, JungsuLeague & HasuLeague admin
- LML
- ChoboLeague admin
- CamoDaz
- Webmasters
- tom & Radley
- Sportsmanship rules enforcement
- Razz
Prize pools
ProLeague · Full prize distribution
Lower-league rewards for next season
GosuLeague, JungsuLeague, HasuLeague & ChoboLeague:
- Top 4: promotion to the next higher league.
- 5th–8th: a returning seed in the same league.
BSL23 Non-Korean Championship · $1,000
The BSL23 Non-Korean Championship is part of Season 23, with a $1,000 prize pool.
Sponsored by tesagi.com
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Patreons & supporters
Patreon support keeps BSL running. Monthly contributions help us cover ongoing costs and plan seasons months in advance. Thank you to everyone supporting BSL.
Support BSL on PatreonBSL23 donors
Rules
Entry, eligibility & confirmation
ZZZero is always right
Join BSL Official Discord
Confirmation after ladder stage
Qualification & Ground Floor
Residency locked
No smurfs
Race picking
Playing and scheduling your matches
Regular match rules
Early matches
ShieldBattery
Latency
Disconnects
Broadcasting & sportsmanship
Broadcasting
Unsportsmanlike conduct
Prize payment & personal data
Prize distribution
Personal data
Additional info
Bombastic StarLeague · Season 23