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Event Rules

Rocket League | Defqon.1 Gaming Sessions 2025 Rules

Definitions
  • Game: means a single competition between two Teams.
  • Match: means Tournament play between two Teams that may involve multiple Games.
  • Platform: means the website start.gg or any subsequent URL which may replace it from time to time.
  • Tournament Official: means any Defqon.1 employee or member of the admin team, broadcast team, production team, event staff, or anyone else otherwise employed or contracted for the purpose of running the Tournament.
  • Tournament Administrator: means any Defqon.1 employee or member of the admin team.
1. Registration Rules
1.1 Registration Requirements

Owning a valid copy of Rocket League is required to participate in this tournament. This could be either on PC as well as console. During sign up, players must link their account so they can be identified at any time. Guest accounts are thereby not permitted.

Smurfs or alternate accounts are not permitted except if specifically allowed by a tournament administrator. Breaking this rule could lead to further sanctions.

1.2 Rules Agreement

To participate in the tournament, each player must accept the rules and abide to them at anytime. By participating, each player is agreeing with the rules.

1.3 Changes to the rulebook

The tournament organisation has the right to change, review or complete the rulebook over time. After each update to the rulebook the assumption will be made that players have agreed with the changes unless it's been reported.

1.4 Team and Player-names

Defqon.1 has the right to change inappropriate names. Names that could look too closely to other teams or players or could be seen inappropriate in the broadcoast could and will be changed. On top of that, Defqon.1 has the right to disqualify players and/or teams from the tournament if they names are considered unacceptable. Players must play under their registered team and players names at all times.

1.5 Team roster

A team must consist of 3 players throughout the tournament. Teams may only play with registered player from their roster with the correct linked accounts which is linked on the platforn. Playing with a player or account which is not registered to the roster will lead to disqualification and potentially further sanctions.

All players of the team roster must be at least 18 years old from the moment the event starts. Tournament administrators have the right to open an investigation if they have suspicion that a player is breaking this rule and ask for proof. Not complying to this rule will lead to disqualification.

Deadline of signups and thereby roster submissions are on May 24th 23:59 CEST. Once this deadline has passed, no roster changes will be allowed.

Substitutes are not permitted.

1.6 Event Format & Advancements

The first phase of the event starts with an open online elimination bracket capped at 128 teams on Sunday 26th of May. Top 4 of this phase advances to the second phase. Second phase of the event is a double round robin into playoffs bracket format on location at Defqon.1 on Friday 28th of June.

If you manage to qualify for the Finale, you will be expected at Defqon.1 on June 28th. The tournament organisation is not covering / responsible for the travel of the players from and to the offline event. Players accept to cover their own travel expenses when signing up to the event.

1.7 Game version

All players must plau on the latest version of Rocket League. Be sure to update your game before the start of the tournament to avoid delays or issues. Updating your game will not be seen as an acceptable excuse to delay matches during the tournament.

2. Match Rules
2.1 Match Settings
  • Server: Europe
  • Game Mode: Soccar
  • Default Arena: DFH Stadium
  • Match Length: 5 Minutes
  • Team Size: 3v3
  • Bot Difficulty: No Bots
  • Mutator Settings: None
2.2 Controllers

All standard controlls, including keyboard and mouse, are allowed. Macro functions (such as turbo buttons) are not allowed.

2.3 Player Behaviour

Each player must abide to general principles of personal integrity, honestness and sportivity. They must stay respectful towards other players, tournament officials, spectators and sponsors at all times. Players must also act in a way that would not endanger or harm the integrity of other players or tournament organisation.

For the offline event, players will not be allowed to wear jerseys of football clubs anytime they're active in the event.

2.4 Competitive Integrity

Each player must play Rocket League as it is meant to be played and must follow the rules at all times during the tournament. Any form of unfair play is not allowed and will lead to disqualification and potentially further sanctions.

A couple of examples of unfair play are the following:

  • Match fixing, Bribing a tournament administrator or Any illegal actions that could influence the result of a match.
  • Hacking or changes to the game that could lead to an advantage in any way.
  • Playing on, or letting someone else play on your account.
  • Using any form of cheats
  • Attacking the opponents in any way to influence them negatively (such as DDoS, Swatting, ...)
2.5 Match Preparations

Resolve any issues before the start of your match. Internet or hardware issues during a game could lead to a forfeit of the match.

All discussions between both parties must happen through the official match chat at all times. During the qualifiers this is via Start.GG.

The game must be created with the correct settings described un 2.1. All players in the match must be registered to the team. Spectators are only allowed if both parties agree to have spectators in the game and the match itself is not on broadcast by the tournament organisation. Tournament officials or anyone permitted by tournament officials are excluded from this rule.

2.6 Punctionality

Both parties have 10 minutes time to get ingame and start the match. If a party is not ingame and ready to play by 10 minutes after start time, contact a tournament administrator. This will be the quickest way to continue the bracket.

2.7 Arenas

By default teams should use DFH Stadium as the map. If both parties agree to use another map then this map may be used instead.

2.8 Re-Hosts

Between games teams request a new server if there would be issues with the current one. In a game, teams may also request a new server only if the game fulfil the following criteria;

  • The game is still within 30 seconds after start (in 5 min minute games this means 4:30 at last).
  • There has not been a goal in the game.

Only if both criteria fulfil a game can be recreated. If a team would like to recreate, they must let the other party know through ingame chat as soon as possible. Make a screenshots of your game after requesting as proof in case the other party disputes the recreation.

Tournament administrators have the right to stop a match and force a re-host at any time.

2.9 Disconnects

If a player disconnects during a game then the game continues on. The disconnected player may reconnect during the game but no pauses or remakes shall be performed.

After the game in which a player disconnected, the short-handed team has 3 minutes to get the disconnected player back in the game. If the player is unable to rejoin within that timeframe, the other party will win the match. Abusing the 3 minute window between games could lead to disqualification and potentially further sanctions.

2.10 Game Start

Players must wait to join their team side until all players are in the lobby.

2.11 Forfeits

Forfeiting voluntarily is possible and must be shared via the official match chat.

2.12 Disqualification

To run the tournament as efficiently as possible, Defqon.1 reserves the right to disqualify a team. This will only happen in extreme circumstances where teams try to purposely stall the tournament.

Betting on matches by a player, team or staff of a team is strictly forbidden. This will lead to a direct disqualification and further sanctions towards players and the team.

Making use of bugs, cheats or glitches is also strictly forbidden and shall lead to disqualification and potentially further sanctions. An example of this is changing team back to your own team to reset back in front of your goal.

3 Reporting Results

Both teams are responsible to provide the correct results on the website after the match. If anything is unclear or there is a conflict then both parties are responsible for providing evidence to proof they have win the match, this can be via screenshots, replays or any other means. Providing wrong results or falsifying evidence can lead to disqualification and potentially further sanctions.

4. Publicity

Defqon.1 has the right to use names, tags, video & graphics (inclusing logo) of any player and organisation for publicity purposes via any media before, during and after the tournament.

5. On-Location Finale

Once reaching the last stage of the event (called "Finale", which includes the final 2 teams), players are required to be present at the Defqon.1 event to participate. Defqon.1 will provide tickets to all players reaching the Finale but players are responsible for their own travel to and from the event.

6. Communication & Tournament Administrators

All communication towards players shall happen via the platform or Discord. Discord shall be used as backup means if a player is unreachable via the platform. Players are however required to keep an eye on the platform in case the other party or tournament administrators try to reach out.

Tournament administrators have the right to override the rules if this is in the interest of the tournament.

All players must respect the decisions and rules provided by the tournament administrators. All decisions by tournament administrators are final, except if further investigations are ongoing regarding a certain matter. All conversations between players and aministrators are confidential. It is strictly forbidden to share these conversations publicly or with third parties who are not involved in the situation, except if explicit permission has been provided.