The National Football League (NFL) and amateur esports platform PlayVS have confirmed the return of the Madden NFL Youth Championship (MYC) for its second season, introducing new eligibility and a revised tournament format.
The championship, which first launched last year, will now include students from Canada alongside participants from the United States. The overall winner will receive a trip with a parent or guardian to Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Also read: PlayVS partners with BAND to support scholastic esports communication
In a press release, Ed Kiang, Vice President of Video Gaming at the NFL, said: “We’re thrilled to build on the success of our first Madden NFL Youth Championship, which made esports more accessible to thousands of middle and high schoolers in the U.S. With expansion abroad, we can bring more fans the opportunity to experience the excitement of the MYC and further drive our mission of engaging with our sport through gaming.”
The competition is open to students aged 13 to 18 enrolled in middle or high school, and allows participants to compete in Madden NFL 26 either through open tournaments or their official school teams.
The open tournaments will take place over two qualifiers: 7–9 November 2025 and 9–11 January 2026, with the top eight players from each advancing to the MYC Finals. Simultaneously, students competing through school esports programmes can qualify by winning their state or regional championships. The final tournament will be held virtually on 20 January 2026.
Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS, commented: “The Madden NFL Youth Championship embodies what PlayVS is all about — giving students a chance to connect, compete and grow through gaming. By expanding eligibility to Canada and introducing both open and scholastic paths to the finals, we’re creating more opportunities for young players to engage with football in a fun, inclusive and community-driven way. We’re proud to partner with the NFL to build an experience that brings the spirit of the game to life for the next generation of fans.”
Registration for the MYC qualifiers is now open. Eligible students in the U.S. and Canada can sign up at playvs.com/madden-nfl-youth-championship.
