The regional qualifiers for the Belarusian esports festival NOVA 2026 begin on October 31, bringing online competition in Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 to every region and the city of Minsk.
The Bottom Line
- Regional online qualifiers for Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 kick off on October 31 across all Belarusian regions and Minsk.
- Runner-up teams secure a second chance at the Wild Card stage scheduled for November 15.
- Cosplay applicants aged 18 to 31 can submit entries across four distinct categories until November 6.
Regional Qualifiers and Tournament Structure
According to kv.by, the tournament features dedicated online qualifiers organized for each separate region and the capital city of Minsk. Teams will battle for coveted playoff berths across two core esports titles: Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2. The preliminary regional matches are slated to run across specific dates on October 31, November 1, November 7, and November 8.
For rosters that miss out on the top spot, the competition path remains open. Teams finishing in second place during the regional rounds will advance to a Wild Card stage on November 15, keeping their playoff hopes alive ahead of the final showdown.
Cosplay Categories and Timeline
Beyond the competitive servers, the festival hosts a dedicated cosplay contest featuring four distinct themes: “Slavic Fantasy”, “Asia”, “Multiverse”, and “Cosplay Dance”. The Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus announced via its Telegram channel that applications for the costume competition are open to participants aged 18 to 31, with submissions closing on November 6.
| Event Stage | Dates | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Qualifiers | Oct 31, Nov 1, 7, 8 | Online matches for CS2 and Dota 2 across all regions and Minsk |
| Cosplay Deadline | November 6 | Application cutoff for ages 18–31 across four categories |
| Wild Card Stage | November 15 | Second-chance bracket for runner-up teams |
| LAN Finals | November 20–22 | The final offline tournament stage of the festival |
The LAN Finals Schedule
Team captains handle the registration process by submitting complete rosters for their squads. Following the conclusion of the online brackets and the November 15 Wild Card rounds, the event culminates in a final LAN stage scheduled to take place from November 20 to 22.
