Free Fire Max India Cup, aka FFMIC 2026 Spring, is set to begin on 7 February 2026 and will feature top teams from across India competing for a massive ₹1 crore prize pool. Organised by Garena, the tournament is one of the biggest Free Fire Max esports events in the country. Free Fire MAX India Cup 2026 Spring is expected to deliver intense competition and high-level gameplay. Check out the FFMIC 2026 format below.
FFMIC 2026 Spring Format Explained
FFMIC 2026 Spring will run from 7 February to 19 April 2026 and will be played across five stages. These include City Qualifiers, In-Game Qualifiers, Group Stage, Knockout Stage, and the Grand Finals.
City Qualifiers
- Dates: 7 and 8 February 2026
- Cities: Lucknow, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad
- Qualification: Top 4 teams advance to Group Stage
The City Qualifiers mark the start of Free Fire MAX India Cup 2026 Spring. These offline qualifiers will be held in four major cities across India. Teams competing in these events will fight for a direct spot in the Group Stage. Only four teams from all City Qualifiers combined will qualify, making this stage highly competitive.
In-Game Qualifiers
- Date: 15 February 2026
- Mode: Free Fire MAX FFC mode
- Open to teams across India
- Qualification: 38 teams advance to Group Stage
The In-Game Qualifiers give teams from all over India a chance to participate in FFMIC 2026 Spring. Once Garena opens registrations, teams can sign up and compete in the Free Fire MAX FFC mode. From this stage, a total of 38 teams will qualify for the Group Stage, making it the biggest entry point into the main event.
Group Stage
- Dates: 26 February to 8 March 2026
- Total teams: 48
- Groups: 4
- Matches: 6 matches per matchday
- Qualification: Around 18 teams advance to Knockout Stage
The Group Stage is the first major phase of the tournament. It will feature 48 teams, including four from City Qualifiers, 38 from In-Game Qualifiers, and six invited teams based on their performance in FFMIC 2025. The invited teams are Total Gaming, Reckoning Esports, NG Pros, S8UL Esports, Team Tycoons, and Revenant XSpark. These teams will be divided into four groups and will compete across two weeks. Based on overall standings, the top-performing teams will move on to the Knockout Stage.
Knockout Stage
- Dates: 20 March to 5 April 2026
- Groups: 3
- Matchdays: 9 across 3 weeks
- Matches: 6 matches per matchday
- Qualification: Top 12 teams advance to Grand Finals
The Knockout Stage is where the competition becomes even tougher. Teams qualifying from the Group Stage will be divided into three groups. Matches will be played over three weeks, with consistency playing a major role in qualification. At the end of this stage, only the top 12 teams will earn a spot in the Grand Finals.
Grand Finals
- Dates: 18 and 19 April 2026
- Total teams: 12
- Day 1: Point Rush
- Day 2: Champion Rush format
The Grand Finals of FFMIC 2026 Spring will be played over two days, unlike previous editions. On 18 April, teams will compete in the Point Rush stage, where they will receive headstart points based on their daily standings. These points will carry forward into the final day.
On 19 April, the Champion Rush format will be used to decide the winner. Teams will continue playing matches under normal rules until a team reaches the predefined Champion Rush Point. Once a team reaches this point threshold, they become Champion Rush eligible. The first team to secure a Booyah after becoming eligible will be crowned the FFMIC 2026 Spring champion. If no team manages to secure a Booyah after reaching the threshold within the maximum number of matches, the team with the highest total points will be declared the winner.