Overwatch
What Is Stadium in Overwatch?
Overwatch's round-based competitive mode: best-of-7 matches where you build your hero with powers and items.
What is Stadium in Overwatch?
Stadium is a round-based Overwatch mode played as a [best-of-7](term:best-of-7). Between rounds you spend Stadium Cash on items and pick powers that change how your hero plays. Your hero is locked for the whole match, and Stadium has its own ranks, from Rookie to Legend, separate from regular competitive.
How a Stadium match works
A Stadium match is a series of short rounds on Push, Control and Clash maps, and the first team to win four rounds takes the match. Playing well earns Stadium Cash, which you spend between rounds on items that boost stats or add effects. At certain rounds you also choose a power, a modifier that can add passives or completely new abilities to your hero.
What makes Stadium different
- Builds matter: the powers and items you pick shape your hero as much as your aim does.
- No hero swaps: you commit to one hero for the entire match.
- Third-person option: you can play in first or third person.
- Own ranked ladder: leagues from Rookie to Legend, plus a Top 500, separate from Role Queue.
Example
A team loses the first two rounds to an enemy that stacked healing reduction items. Instead of swapping heroes, which Stadium does not allow, they adjust their builds, buy survivability items and win the next four rounds in a row.
Stadium in 2026
In July 2026, Blizzard announced that Stadium would not receive new heroes or maps, but the mode stays live with balance updates, seasonal rank resets and rewards. Climbing its leagues is still possible with a dedicated Stadium Boost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stadium rank the same as competitive rank?
No. Stadium has its own leagues and rank. Results in Stadium never change your Role Queue or Open Queue ranks.
What is Stadium Cash?
It is the currency you earn during a Stadium match by playing well. You spend it between rounds on items for your hero, and it resets every match.