BGIS 2026 The Grind Format Explained: Schedule, Groups, Teams, and Streams

Battlegrounds Mobile India Series (BGIS) 2026 is set to begin on January 17, marking the first major BGMI tournament of the year. India’s top teams will battle it out to crown the BGIS 2026 champion and claim a share of the massive ₹4 crore prize pool, significantly raising the stakes for the competitive season.

Like previous editions, BGIS 2026 is divided into in-game qualifiers and the invited stage known as The Grind. In this article, we break down the BGIS 2026 The Grind format, including schedule, group structure, qualified teams, and stream details.

What Is BGIS 2026 The Grind?

BGIS 2026: The Grind is the tournament’s invited phase, featuring the top 64 BGMI teams from India based on their performances during the 2025 competitive season.

This stage will run for two weeks, from January 17 to February 1, and serves as the gateway to the main stages of BGIS 2026.

Teams are divided into four groups (A, B, C, and D), seeded according to last season’s results:

• Group A: Highest-ranked teams

• Group B: Upper-mid tier teams

• Group C: Mid-tier teams

• Group D: Lower-seeded invited teams

BGIS 2026 The Grind Match Format

Each group will:

• Play 24 matches

• Across 4 matchdays

• Under the official BGMI competitive ruleset

Qualification Rules

• Top 8 teams from each group advance to higher rounds of the main event

• Bottom 8 teams drop into earlier rounds, keeping their BGIS journey alive

For example:

• Top 8 teams from Group A qualify directly for the Quarter Finals

• Bottom 8 teams from Group A move to Round 4

This format rewards consistency while still allowing teams a chance to recover from early setbacks.

Weekly Schedule and Qualification Path

Here’s the full BGIS 2026 The Grind schedule:

• Week 1 – Group D (Jan 17–20)

  • Top 8 → Round 2

  • Bottom 8 → Round 1
    

• Week 2 – Group C (Jan 21–24)

  • Top 8 → Round 3

  • Bottom 8 → Round 2
    

• Week 3 – Group B (Jan 25–28)

  • Top 8 → Round 4

  • Bottom 8 → Round 3
    

• Week 4 – Group A (Jan 29–Feb 1)

  • Top 8 → Quarter Finals

  • Bottom 8 → Round 4

BGIS 2026 The Grind Groups and Teams

Group D

• 2op Esports

• Esport Social

• Likhita Esports

• Team Alpha

• Shadow Blitz

• White Walkers

• Rivalry Esports

• Gravity Esports

• Los Hermanos

• Bot Army

• Team Insane Esports

• M4 Esports

• Team Phoenix

• GEN Esports

• MetaNinza

Group C

• FS Esports

• AURA Esports

• Do or Die

• Troy Tamilan Esports

• JUX Esports

• LEFP

• Versatile

• Rider Esports

• Vasista Esports

• iQOO Revenant XSpark

• GlitchxReborn

• G4R Esports

• Altitude

• Medal Esports

• EGGY Esports

• OSH Esports

Group B

• H4K Esports

• Genesis Esports

• Vanguard Esports

• TWOB Esports

• Rising Esports

• EVOX Esports

• ZTSU Esports

• Kalinga Esports

• Sinewy Esports

• WYLD FANGS

• 4TR Esports

• iQOO Team Tamilas

• The Knight Mobs

• NONX Esports

• Team X Esports

• LSDE Esports

Group A

• iQOO Orangutan

• K9 Esports

• iQOO SOUL

• Infinix True Rippers

• Nebula Esports

• OnePlus Gods Reign

• Higg Boson Esports

• MADKINGS Esports

• iQOO Reckoning Esports

• iQOO 8BIT

• Team AX

• Victorus Sumus

• Hero Xtreme Godlike

• Autobotz Esports

• Blitz Esports

• RCE

BGIS 2026 The Grind Stream Information

All BGIS 2026 The Grind matches will be streamed live on the KRAFTON India Esports YouTube channel.

Broadcast Details

• Languages: English & Hindi commentary

• Map Feed: Dedicated daily map streams for rotation analysis

• Stream Start: 2:00 PM IST

• First Match: 3:00 PM IST

Fans can follow both the main broadcast and map feed to gain deeper insight into team rotations, zone reads, and strategic decisions.

Why BGIS 2026 The Grind Is Crucial

The BGIS 2026 The Grind format plays a decisive role in shaping the tournament’s later stages. Strong performances here determine:

• Main event seeding

• Momentum heading into playoffs

• Early championship contention

With ₹4 crore on the line, every match during The Grind carries significant competitive importance.