North American scholastic and collegiate esports company PlayVS, the National Football League (NFL), and Madden NFL series maker EA Sports are teaming up once again this year for the Madden NFL Youth Championship (MYC), a national scholastic esports competition aimed at middle and high school students. The inaugural MYC took place last year following a deal between PlayVS, NFL, and EA Sports in 2025.
Building on its inaugural season, MYC organizers promises “exciting enhancements” in 2025. This year the overall champion will be competing for a paid trip with a parent/guardian to Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California in February 2026. PlayVS also said in its announcement that it has extended eligibility to include students from Canada.
The top eight finalists from each Qualifier tournament will earn a spot in the MYC Finals.
MYC is open to 13 – 18-year-old students enrolled in a school from the United States and Canada, interested in competing in Madden NFL 26. There are no entry fees, but one would naturally assume that having access to the game is likely a hard requirement.
Qualifier #1 will run online from Nov, 7–9; Qualifier #2 will take place from Jan. 9–11, 2026; and the Grand Finals will be held on Jan. 20, 2026.
Students competing through a school esports program can qualify for the MYC Grand Finals by winning their state or regional championships via the PlayVS’ official league competition. Ultimately, the Grand Finals will feature the top 16 qualifier players and top 16 scholastic champions in a 32-player single-elimination bracket held virtually on Jan. 20, 2026.
“We’re thrilled to build on the success of our first Madden NFL Youth Championship, which made esports more accessible to thousands of middle and high schoolers in the U.S.,” said Ed Kiang, vice president of video gaming at the NFL. “With expansion abroad, we can bring more fans the opportunity to experience the excitement of the MYC and further drive our mission of engaging with our sport through gaming.”
More details on the competition can be found at playvs.com/madden-nfl-youth-championship.