The Free Fire MAX Asia Invitational (FFMAI) 2026 Fall South Asia Play-ins are set to begin on October 16. A total of 18 teams from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal will compete for a place in the Main Event.
The South Asia Play-ins will run from October 16 to 18, with matches beginning at 5:30 PM IST each day, according to the newly revealed schedule. The 18 teams are divided into three groups, and each team will play 12 matches across the three-day stage. Only the top seven teams will advance to the FFMAI 2026 Fall Main Event.
FFMAI 2026 Fall South Asia Play-ins Schedule
The Play-ins will follow a round-robin format, meaning two groups will compete against each other every day.
| Date | Groups | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| October 16 | Group A vs Group C | 5:30 PM IST |
| October 17 | Group A vs Group B | 5:30 PM IST |
| October 18 | Group B vs Group C | 5:30 PM IST |
There will be six matches each day, taking the total to 18 matches. Since every group plays on two days, each team will get 12 matches to collect as many points as possible.
FFMAI 2026 Fall South Asia Play-ins Groups
The 18 participating teams have been divided into three groups of six.
| Group A | Group B | Group C |
|---|---|---|
| Clutza Esports | TSG Pros | S8UL Esports |
| Revenant XSpark | Orangutan x Elite | Resurrection Esports |
| NG Pros | Total Gaming Esports | Pirate Esports |
| Mentiras GG | Team Rage | Titan Esports Club |
| Coffin Makers Esports | Kingdom Hearts | DRS Gaming |
| Khan Official | Rogue Esports | Hotshot Esports |
The Play-ins feature eight Indian teams, along with five teams from Bangladesh, three from Pakistan, and two from Nepal.
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Indian Teams at FFMAI 2026 Fall Play-ins
India will have several major Free Fire organisations competing in the qualification stage.
Clutza Esports, Revenant XSpark, NG Pros, TSG Pros, Orangutan x Elite, Total Gaming Esports, S8UL Esports, and Resurrection Esports will represent India in the South Asia Play-ins.
TSG Pros and Resurrection Esports will be two teams to watch closely. Both recently secured qualification for the FFWS 2026 Global Finals through FFMIC 2026 Fall.
For them, FFMAI could also provide useful international competition before heading to the World Series.
Team Apex Gaming, meanwhile, does not have to compete in the South Asia Play-ins as it has received a direct invitation to the FFMAI 2026 Fall Main Event.
Only Seven Teams Will Qualify for Main Event
The Play-ins will be highly competitive because more than half of the participating teams will be eliminated from FFMAI Fall.
After all 18 matches are completed, the top seven teams in the overall standings will advance to the Main Event, while the remaining 11 teams will be eliminated.
The qualified teams will then join the directly invited teams from different Asian regions in the Main Event Group Stage, scheduled for October 22 to 24.
The top 12 teams from that stage will move to the FFMAI 2026 Fall Grand Finals on October 25, where the Champion Rush format will decide the winner.
Where to Watch FFMAI 2026 Fall South Asia Play-ins?
The official schedule graphic states that the matches will be streamed live on Free Fire MAX Esports India Official, starting at 5:30 PM IST.
The first day on October 16 will feature Group A against Group C, followed by Group A against Group B on October 17. Group B and Group C will then close the South Asia Play-ins on October 18.
With only seven Main Event places available, every match will matter for the 18 South Asian teams.
