The Call of Duty League (CDL) is officially set to return in December 2025, just weeks after the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The new season follows the same format as the previous Black Ops 6 circuit, which also began in December 2024.
The announcement came during COD Next 2025, where CDL commentator Miles Ross confirmed the franchise league’s comeback before the year’s end. While the exact schedule hasn’t yet been revealed, fans can expect the full slate of matches to be released in the coming weeks.
The 2025 CDL season wrapped up in late June, with OpTic Texas securing back-to-back championship titles after winning both 2024 and 2025. This December restart ends a six-month offseason and sets the stage for fresh rivalries and roster changes.
Notably, several major franchises—including the Carolina Royal Ravens, Toronto Ultra, Boston Breach, Cloud9 New York, Los Angeles Guerrillas M8, and Vancouver Surge—have yet to confirm their final player lineups. The early December start ensures teams will have time to finalize rosters ahead of competition.
The 2026 season launch not only coincides with the hype around Black Ops 7 (released on November 14th) but also raises the stakes for Call of Duty esports. With last year’s CDL Championship being the most-watched event in the franchised era, expectations are sky-high to see whether this new season can surpass those numbers.
