Fancy begins title defense at Madden NFL 26 Kickoff Challenge

The 11th season of the Madden Championship Series (MCS) begins with the debut of the Kickoff Challenge in Orlando on Wednesday.

Among the 26 Kickoff Challenge competitors are defending champion Fancy, runner-up JonBeast, two-time champion Druni and Henry, the winningest competitor in Madden history.

Wednesday's live event will begin at 6 p.m. ET at the Full Sail University Orlando Health Fortress, featuring the top eight remaining players.

The MCS Kickoff Challenge is the first of a series of Madden NFL 26 tournaments that concludes with the Madden Bowl and features a $1.5 million prize pool.

"Over the past decade, we've witnessed the Madden NFL Championship Series' influence at the intersection of gaming and football culture," EA Head of Esports Monica Dinsmore said. "As we enter the 11th season of this historic competition in continued partnership with the NFL, we are looking forward to providing more ways to engage with our Madden NFL community and celebrate the next generation of football fans."

MCS 26 EVENTS

KICKOFF CHALLENGE

Live Event: September 10

MOST FEARED CHALLENGE

Ladders: September 13-14, 20-21

Elimination: September 27-28

Live Event: October 15

ZERO CHILL CHALLENGE

Ladders: November 7-9

Elimination: November 22-23

Live Event: December 10

LAST CHANCE QUALIFIER

Ladders: December 12-14, 20-21

Elimination: January 3-4

Live Event: January 21

MADDEN BOWL

February 2026

The top 13 point-earners from the Kickoff Challenge, the Most Feared Challenge and the Zero Chill Challenge will qualify for the Madden Bowl. The final opportunity to claim a spot will be through the Last Chance Qualifier.

The Most Feared Challenge, Zero Chill Challenge and the Last Chance Qualifier will all feature live events at the Health Fortress.

Fancy, from Frisco, Texas, also won the Kickoff Challenge and the Most Feared Challenge in the Madden 25 season. His $250,000 first prize from the Madden Bowl boosted his season earnings to $358,000.

Regarding his status as the first player to win three MCS events in a season, Fancy said in March, "It means everything, to do something that no one's ever done before.

"To win three tournaments in one year is unbelievable. Just the turnaround for me. No finals appearances before this year, and to have three championships in one season is crazy."

Madden Bowl championship-round history, with final score and winner's prize money

2016 -- Frank "Stiff" Sardoni Jr. def. Eric "Problem" Wright 37-21; $20,000

2017 -- Michael "Skimbo" Skimbo def. Eric "Problem" Wright 24-20; $100,000

2018 -- Shay "Young Kiv" Kivlen def. Drini "Drini" Gjoka 28-24; $107,000

2019 -- Drini "Drini" Gjoka def. Mike "Spoto" Spoto 41-0; $41,000

2020 -- Raidel "Joke" Brito def. Daniel "Dcroft" Mycroft 17-0; $65,000

2021 -- (3 vs. 3) Henry "Henry" Leverette/Wesley "Wesley" Gittens/Jack "NBG" Kronstein def. Jacob "Jwall" Wallack/Jacob "Fancy" Worthington/Joshua "DatBoi" Wright 31-3; $150,000

2022 -- Henry "Henry" Leverette def. Wesley "Wesley" Gittens 35-31; $250,000

2023 -- Peyton "Dez" Tuma def. Henry "Henry" Leverette 24-21; $250,000

2024 -- Henry "Henry" Leverette def. Wesley "Wesley" Gittens 35-24; $250,000

2025 -- Jacob "Fancy" Worthington def. Jonathan "JonBeast" Marquez 31-28; $250,000

--Field Level Media