Stockholm-based game developer GOALS will host the inaugural GOALS Open Grand Finals in Stockholm on Saturday, 12 September 2026, marking the formal live competitive debut of its free-to-play football title.

Following a month of regional pre-qualifiers and regional finals that opened in August across three global territories spanning Europe & Africa, Americas, and Asia, Middle East & Pacific, twelve qualified players from around the world will compete for a share of a €10,000 EUR prize pool.

Also read:

 

The championship event will feature a two-stage competitive framework designed to establish the title’s baseline competitive meta: The 12 global finalists will be split into two groups of six, and the top four players from each group will advance to an eight-player single-elimination playoff bracket. Qualified contenders will battle through the quarter-finals and semi-finals, culminating in a third-place bronze medal match and the final championship decider. Matches will be broadcast live via the studio’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.

The launch of the Open Grand Finals follows the studio’s broader rollout of its native 2026 esports architecture, unveiled earlier this year and structured around two main operational tiers: the GOALS Majors, with year-round online tournaments where the top 500 players on the global leaderboard compete for ranking points, circuit prestige, and qualification slots; And the GOALS Masters, planned to be the flagship offline championship tier bringing together elite global competitors who earn invitations through Major standings and dedicated qualifier brackets.

Founded by former Counter-Strike pro Andreas Thorstensson, GOALS was established with the objective of developing an esports-first, free-to-play football title intended to challenge traditional annual sports franchises. The studio has raised $39 million USD in total venture backing from tech and gaming investors, including Seven Seven Six, Northzone, Cherry Ventures, and Moonfire Ventures.

The rollout of the GOALS Open circuit marks the studio’s first major operational test in live tournament management, broadcast production, and competitive balance. By structuring its inaugural ecosystem around multi-regional qualifiers across three geographic zones, GOALS is positioning the title to capture competitive football gaming audiences and build a long-term grass-roots pipeline alongside its core development roadmap.

Subscribe to our TER Newsletters here; the weekly recap On The Radar and the fortnightly deep dive into key trending topics Heat Map.