Rally Cry and the Army National Guard have announced the return of one of North America’s premier in-person scholastic event, now rebranded as the FORGE Scholastic Esports Championship.
Scheduled for May 15–17, 2026, the three-day festival will return to the Boeing Center at Tech Port San Antonio, shifting its focus from pure competition to a structured ecosystem linking gaming to education and professional development.
The rebranding integrates Rally Cry’s FORGE program, which aims to create “tangible pathways” for K-12 and collegiate students. A central component of the 2026 expansion is the introduction of FORGE Trials, a national qualifier system that allows teams from partner leagues—such as the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference), EGF (Electronic Gaming Federation), and NECC (National Esports Collegiate Conference)—to earn their spots through a formal competitive ladder.
Beyond the main stage, the event will feature career panels, interactive exhibits, and activations from industry giants including Ubisoft and Twitch.
The partnership marks a deepening of the relationship between Rally Cry and the United States’ military branches. Over the last six months, the organiser has effectively carved out a specialised niche at the intersection of collegiate gaming and military recruitment. This includes the 2025 Rally Cry Championship Tour, which focused on EA Sports College Football 26 tailgates, and a recent high-profile collaboration between ECAC Esports, Rally Cry, and the U.S. Space Force (USSF).
By aligning with the Army National Guard, Rally Cry is aiming to position scholastic esports as a viable pipeline for leadership training and technical skill acquisition. For the Army National Guard, the sponsorship serves as a strategic touchpoint to engage with a digitally native demographic.
Evan Cameron, Product Lead at Rally Cry, described the event as a “launchpad for student growth,” noting that the infrastructure provided by the Boeing Center is purpose-built to facilitate both high-level competition and large-scale career-focused programming.
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