Fortnite Champion Series Chapter 3 dates, prize pool, and how to enter

The Fortnite Champion Series is returning for Chapter 3 with a huge prize pool and the chance for a duos team to claim the competitive Fortnite crown. FNCS is easily the biggest competitive event in all of Fortnite, with thousands of players fighting for glory. Below, we've got a guide to every detail you need to know, including prize pool winnings for each region, qualifier dates, and how to watch or enter.

When is Fortnite Champion Series Chapter 3?

Qualifiers for FNCS will be hosted on February 17 and 18, followed by a separate qualifier round on February 19 and 20. Epic is changing the format to duos for this year, so you'll need a partner in crime to get a victory. The top eight teams from each qualifier will move directly to the FNCS Finals.

Semi-finals will be held from February 24 - 27, and will work differently compared to previous years. For any session, you'll either need to win the game or be one of the top six most consistently performing teams in order to advance to the finals.

Finals will be held March 5 - 6, with the same format as previous years, but now with something called a "match point variable." If a team somehow manages to score 500 total points and win three victory royales, they'll automatically be crowned FNCS champions. If no such team exists by the end of 12 games, finals will proceed as usual.

Here's a helpful visual breakdown of how everything will progress.

How to enter FNCS

To queue up for round one of the first qualifier, you must reach the Champion League division in Arena mode in your region. The official rules state:

For Round 1 of Qualifier 1 (“Qualifier 1; Round 1”), any eligible Duos team (as determined by Epic in accordance with these Rules) must rank in the Champion League (Division I, II, or III) or higher within Arena in their respective server region (“Region”) by the start of Qualifier 1 to be eligible to queue up and compete during their respective Region’s Qualifier 1; Round 1 session window as listed in-game.

FNCS prize pool

This year, FNCS competitors are fighting for a total prize pool of $3,008,500. Broken down by region, it looks like:

How to play in FNCS Community Cup

If you're feeling competitive, but maybe not $3 million dollars competitive, there's always the FNCS Community Cup. This is the Fortnite player base's chance to earn some special rewards and prestige without getting caught up in the more serious competition.

FNCS Community Cup starts on February 28 and will be held as a duos format tournament. Teams in each region will have 10 matches across three hours to earn as many points as possible.

Top performing teams in each region will earn the FNCS 3:1 Champion outfit and Winner's Mark back bling to celebrate.

In case you need them, here are the official rules again. Also check out our Fortnite guides page for challenge walkthroughs and news on the latest skins.