What Are the General Tournament Rules for Evo France 2026?

Evo France 2026 runs Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 at Palais des Expositions – Nice Acropolis, with an opening date of October 8 listed on the event page. Every main game on the schedule follows the same core structure: double elimination, bring your own controller, default in-game settings, and a fixed rule for who may switch characters between games. Game-specific pages then add or override details — most notably Tekken 8, where Tekken World Tour rules take precedence if there is any conflict.

The rules that apply across all games

These points appear in the rules for each title listed on the event page:

• Double elimination. Every game uses a double-elimination bracket, so a single loss does not eliminate you.
• Bring Your Own Controller (BYOC). All games are played on PlayStation 5 and players are expected to supply their own controller.
• Default settings. Games are played on default settings, with only the exceptions each game explicitly lists.
• Random stage select. Stages are chosen at random, though players may agree on a specific stage instead.
• Winner keeps their character. The winner of the previous game must stay on the same character.
• Loser may switch. The player who lost the previous game may change character.

Format details by game

Note the difference in how sets are structured: Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 use 2/3 games per set with 3/5 for Top 8 finals, while Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Guilty Gear Strive, and Avatar Legends use 3/5 games per set for the whole tournament.

Street Fighter 6 specifics

Street Fighter 6 is played on PlayStation 5 with default settings except for two changes: pause menu on long hold is set to ON, and input delay reduction is set to ON. Sets are 2/3 games, moving to 3/5 for Top 8 finals. The Training Room stage is banned from tournament play. Dynamic control type is banned. In-battle accessibility settings may be turned on if the tournament organizer decides the setting is physically necessary.

Tekken 8 specifics

Tekken 8 uses Tournament Mode default settings with 3/5 rounds per game and 2/3 games per set, going to 3/5 for Top 8 finals. Stage select is random for every game. Customizing colors, names, or items is not allowed at any time before or during a tournament match — doing so results in a loss of round. If any Tekken World Tour rule conflicts with the event rules, the Tekken World Tour rule wins.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising specifics

Played on the PlayStation 4 version. Sets are 3/5 games for the entire tournament, not just finals. Colors 16 and 17 are banned for all characters, Prismatic Weapon skins are banned for all characters, handicap under Battle Settings must be off, and the character Lunalu is banned.

Guilty Gear Strive specifics

Played on the PlayStation 5 version. Sets are 3/5 games. Ultimate Edition colors are banned for all characters.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game specifics

Uses Tournament Mode default settings, 2/3 rounds per game, and 3/5 games per set, with random stage select for every game.

What to check before you compete

The event page also hosts an event map, FAQs, bracket information, and a stream schedule (seven total streams listed). If you are preparing to enter, confirm three things on the official pages before the event: the final game list and any rule updates, your controller's compatibility with the PS5 setups, and whether your game carries an external ruleset — Tekken 8 players in particular should read the Tekken World Tour rules, since those override the local rules where they conflict.