2021 Overwatch League playoffs#Lower round 1

Eight teams qualified for the season playoffs. In the league's West region, five teams qualified: the top three teams based on the Western regular season standings and the top two teams from the Western play-in tournament. In the league's East region, three teams qualified: the top two teams based on the Eastern regular season standings and the top team from the Eastern play-in tournament.{{cite news |last1=Wen |first1=Alan |title='Overwatch' League live events will return this September |url=https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/overwatch-league-live-events-will-return-this-september-2999026 |access-date=July 21, 2021 |work=NME |date=July 21, 2021}}{{cite news |title=Overwatch League Post Season Heads to Texas and California - The Quick Fix: Esports |url=https://www.ign.com/videos/overwatch-league-post-season-heads-to-texas-and-california-the-quick-fix-esports |access-date=July 21, 2021 |work=IGN |date=July 20, 2021}} The team with the most league points between the top seed in the West and top seed in the East was the first overall seed, while the other was the second seed. The team with the most league points between the second seed in the West and second seed in the East was the third overall seed, while the other was the fourth seed. The third seeded team in the West was the fifth overall seed. The three teams that qualified for the playoffs via the play-in tournaments were seeded sixth through eight based on league points. Any ties in league points were broken by the league's tiebreaking rules.{{cite web |title=Countdown Cup Details: Playoff Information, Hero Pool, and More |url=https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/news/countdown-cup-details-playoff-information-hero-pool-and-more |website=The Overwatch League |access-date=July 22, 2021 |date=July 21, 2021}}

The playoffs were a double-elimination tournament. The top three seeds selected their opponent from seeds five through eight for the first round of the tournament, with the top seed selecting first and the third seed selecting last. In each match, the higher-seeded team had the choice of which map to play first from a pool of maps. Each following map was chosen by the losing team from the previous map. The winner of each match was determined by which team wins three maps first, aside from the Grand Finals, which was first-to-four. No hero pools, a system in which some heroes are unplayable, was used in the postseason.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Liz |title=How the Overwatch League 2021 postseason and playoffs will work |url=https://dotesports.com/overwatch/news/overwatch-league-2021-playoffs-format-explained |access-date=August 26, 2021 |work=Dot Esports |date=August 26, 2021}}

{{multiple image

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| image1 = Richard Greene Linear Park (Esports Stadium Arlington) (cropped).jpg

| alt1 = Esports Stadium Arlington

| caption1 =

| image2 = UniversityHawaiiManoaCampusRoundtop.jpg

| alt2 =

| caption2 =

| caption4 =

| footer = All matches except for the Grand Finals were originally planned to take place at Esports Stadium Arlington (left). Western teams instead travelled to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (right).

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All matches were originally planned to be played at Esports Stadium Arlington in Arlington, Texas, aside from the Grand Finals, which was to take place at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California.{{cite news |last1=Chalk |first1=Andy |title=Overwatch League is bringing back live events in September |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatch-league-is-bringing-back-live-events-in-september/ |access-date=July 21, 2021 |work=PC Gamer |date=July 20, 2021}} Although several live matches were held in the regular season in limited formats, the playoffs and Grand Finals were to be one of the first esports live events held in North America since the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last1=Qu |first1=Bonnie |title=Overwatch League 2021 playoffs to be held live in Texas and Los Angeles |url=https://www.upcomer.com/overwatch-league-2021-playoffs-to-be-held-live-in-texas-and-los-angeles/ |access-date=July 23, 2021 |work=Upcomer |date=July 20, 2021}}

On August 25, 2021, due to visa difficulties and concerns surrounding Delta variant, all in-person playoff events were cancelled.{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Sean |title=Overwatch League playoffs no longer in North Texas, moving back to online |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-fuel/2021/08/25/overwatch-league-playoffs-no-longer-in-north-texas-moving-back-to-online/ |access-date=August 25, 2021 |work=The Dallas Morning News |date=August 25, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Parrish |first1=Ash |title=Overwatch League cancels its in-person playoff events |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/26/22643253/overwatch-league-owl-2021-playoffs-hawaii |access-date=August 26, 2021 |work=The Verge |date=August 26, 2021}} To minimize latency between the East and West teams, the West region playoff teams travelled to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and played at the Innovation Lab and Information Technology Center buildings, while the East region teams played in their home country.{{cite news |last1=McInnis |first1=Brian |title=Overwatch League returning to Hawaii for esports championship |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2021/08/26/overwatch-league-grand-final-hawaii.html |access-date=August 27, 2021 |work=Pacific Business News |date=August 26, 2021}} The broadcasts were hosted from an outdoor stage at the Moana Hotel in Honolulu.{{Cite web|last=Dachman|first=Jason|title=Overwatch League Grand Finals: Project Aloha, Cloud Workflows Are Key to Transcontinental Production|url=https://www.sportsvideo.org/2021/09/24/overwatch-league-grand-finals-project-aloha-cloud-workflows-are-key-to-transcontinental-production/|access-date=October 1, 2021|website=Sports Video Group|date=September 24, 2021 |language=en}}

{{8Team2ElimBracketExceptFinal2

| team-width=150

| RD1 = Upper round 1
September 21

| RD2 = Upper round 2
September 22

| RD3 = Upper final
September 23

| RD5 = Grand Finals
September 25

| RD1b = Lower round 1
September 22

| RD2b = Lower round 2
September 23

| RD3b = Lower round 3
September 24

| RD4b = Lower final
September 24

| RD1-seed1=1

| RD1-team1=Shanghai Dragons

| RD1-score1=3

| RD1-seed2=6

| RD1-team2=San Francisco Shock

| RD1-score2=0

| RD1-seed3=4

| RD1-team3=Los Angeles Gladiators

| RD1-score3=3

| RD1-seed4=7

| RD1-team4=Philadelphia Fusion

| RD1-score4=1

| RD1-seed5=2

| RD1-team5=Dallas Fuel

| RD1-score5=3

| RD1-seed6=8

| RD1-team6=Washington Justice

| RD1-score6=1

| RD1-seed7=3

| RD1-team7=Chengdu Hunters

| RD1-score7=3

| RD1-seed8=5

| RD1-team8=Atlanta Reign

| RD1-score8=2

| RD2-seed1=1

| RD2-team1=Shanghai Dragons

| RD2-score1=3

| RD2-seed2=4

| RD2-team2=Los Angeles Gladiators

| RD2-score2=1

| RD2-seed3=2

| RD2-team3=Dallas Fuel

| RD2-score3=3

| RD2-seed4=3

| RD2-team4=Chengdu Hunters

| RD2-score4=0

| RD3-seed1=1

| RD3-team1=Shanghai Dragons

| RD3-score1=3

| RD3-seed2=2

| RD3-team2=Dallas Fuel

| RD3-score2=1

| RD1-seed9=6

| RD1-team9=San Francisco Shock

| RD1-score9=3

| RD1-seed10=7

| RD1-team10=Philadelphia Fusion

| RD1-score10=2

| RD1-seed11=5

| RD1-team11=Atlanta Reign

| RD1-score11=3

| RD1-seed12=8

| RD1-team12=Washington Justice

| RD1-score12=0

| RD2-seed5=3

| RD2-team5=Chengdu Hunters

| RD2-score5=2

| RD2-seed6=6

| RD2-team6=San Francisco Shock

| RD2-score6=3

| RD2-seed7=4

| RD2-team7=Los Angeles Gladiators

| RD2-score7=2

| RD2-seed8=5

| RD2-team8=Atlanta Reign

| RD2-score8=3

| RD3-seed3=6

| RD3-team3=San Francisco Shock

| RD3-score3=1

| RD3-seed4=5

| RD3-team4=Atlanta Reign

| RD3-score4=3

| RD4-seed1=2

| RD4-team1=Dallas Fuel

| RD4-score1=1

| RD4-seed2=5

| RD4-team2=Atlanta Reign

| RD4-score2=3

| RD5-seed1=1

| RD5-team1=Shanghai Dragons

| RD5-score1=4

| RD5-seed2=5

| RD5-team2=Atlanta Reign

| RD5-score2=0

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Upper round 1 | date = September 21 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|16:00}} PDT

| team1 = Washington Justice | team1score = 1

| team2 = Dallas Fuel | team2score = 3

| map1 = Lijiang Tower | map1team1score = 2 | map1team2score = 1

| map2 = Volskaya Industries | map2team1score = 1 | map2team2score = 2

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 2 | map3team2score = 3

| map4 = Havana | map4team1score = 3 | map4team2score = 4

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37427 Details]

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Upper round 1 | date = September 21 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|17:30}} PDT

| team1 = Philadelphia Fusion | team1score = 1

| team2 = Los Angeles Gladiators | team2score = 3

| map1 = Ilios | map1team1score = 0 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Temple of Anubis | map2team1score = 2 | map2team2score = 1

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 2 | map3team2score = 3

| map4 = Havana | map4team1score = 1 | map4team2score = 3

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37426 Details]

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Upper round 1 | date = September 21 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|19:00}} PDT

| team1 = San Francisco Shock | team1score = 0

| team2 = Shanghai Dragons | team2score = 3

| map1 = Ilios | map1team1score = 1 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Hanamura | map2team1score = 0 | map2team2score = 1

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 2 | map3team2score = 3

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37425 Details]

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Upper round 1 | date = September 21 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|20:30}} PDT

| team1 = Atlanta Reign | team1score = 2

| team2 = Chengdu Hunters | team2score = 3

| map1 = Nepal | map1team1score = 2 | map1team2score = 0

| map2 = Temple of Anubis | map2team1score = 3 | map2team2score = 4

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 4 | map3team2score = 3

| map4 = Dorado | map4team1score = 2 | map4team2score = 3

| map5 = Oasis | map5team1score = 0 | map5team2score = 2

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37428 Details]

| final_in_list = yes

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Lower round 1 | date = September 22 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|16:00}} PDT

| team1 = Washington Justice | team1score = 0

| team2 = Atlanta Reign | team2score = 3

| map1 = Nepal | map1team1score = 0 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Temple of Anubis | map2team1score = 0 | map2team2score = 2

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 1 | map3team2score = 3

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37448 Details]

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Lower round 1 | date = September 22 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|17:30}} PDT

| team1 = Philadelphia Fusion | team1score = 2

| team2 = San Francisco Shock | team2score = 3

| map1 = Nepal | map1team1score = 1 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Volskaya Industries | map2team1score = 3 | map2team2score = 2

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 3 | map3team2score = 4

| map4 = Route 66 | map4team1score = 3 | map4team2score = 2

| map5 = Ilios | map5team1score = 0 | map5team2score = 2

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37445 Details]

| final_in_list = yes

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Upper round 2 | date = September 22 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|19:00}} PDT

| team1 = Chengdu Hunters | team1score = 0

| team2 = Dallas Fuel | team2score = 3

| map1 = Lijiang Tower | map1team1score = 0 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Volskaya Industries | map2team1score = 2 | map2team2score = 3

| map3 = Eichenwalde | map3team1score = 0 | map3team2score = 3

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37447 Details]

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Upper round 2 | date = September 22 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|20:30}} PDT

| team1 = Los Angeles Gladiators | team1score = 1

| team2 = Shanghai Dragons | team2score = 3

| map1 = Ilios | map1team1score = 0 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Hanamura | map2team1score = 2 | map2team2score = 0

| map3 = Numbani | map3team1score = 0 | map3team2score = 1

| map4 = Havana | map4team1score = 0 | map4team2score = 1

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37429 Details]

| final_in_list = yes

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Lower round 2 | date = September 23 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|16:00}} PDT

| team1 = Atlanta Reign | team1score = 3

| team2 = Los Angeles Gladiators | team2score = 2

| map1 = Ilios | map1team1score = 0 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Hanamura | map2team1score = 3 | map2team2score = 2

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 5 | map3team2score = 4

| map4 = Dorado | map4team1score = 1 | map4team2score = 2

| map5 = Nepal | map5team1score = 2 | map5team2score = 0

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37443 Details]

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Lower round 2 | date = September 23 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|18:00}} PDT

| team1 = San Francisco Shock | team1score = 3

| team2 = Chengdu Hunters | team2score = 2

| map1 = Lijiang Tower | map1team1score = 2 | map1team2score = 0

| map2 = Temple of Anubis | map2team1score = 3 | map2team2score = 3

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 4 | map3team2score = 3

| map4 = Dorado | map4team1score = 2 | map4team2score = 3

| map5 = Ilios | map5team1score = 0 | map5team2score = 2

| map6 = Havana | map6team1score = 2 | map6team2score = 0

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37446 Details]

| final_in_list = yes

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Upper final | date = September 23 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|19:30}} PDT

| team1 = Dallas Fuel | team1score = 1

| team2 = Shanghai Dragons | team2score = 3

| map1 = Ilios | map1team1score = 0 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Volskaya Industries | map2team1score = 3 | map2team2score = 2

| map3 = Numbani | map3team1score = 2 | map3team2score = 3

| map4 = Dorado | map4team1score = 1 | map4team2score = 3

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37430 Details]

| final_in_list = yes

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Lower round 3 | date = September 24 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|18:00}} PDT

| team1 = San Francisco Shock | team1score = 1

| team2 = Atlanta Reign | team2score = 3

| map1 = Nepal | map1team1score = 2 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Hanamura | map2team1score = 2 | map2team2score = 3

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 1 | map3team2score = 3

| map4 = Havana | map4team1score = 2 | map4team2score = 3

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37444 Details]

| final_in_list = yes

}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Lower final | date = September 24 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|19:30}} PDT

| team1 = Atlanta Reign | team1score = 3

| team2 = Dallas Fuel | team2score = 1

| map1 = Lijiang Tower | map1team1score = 1 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Hanamura | map2team1score = 2 | map2team2score = 1

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 4 | map3team2score = 3

| map4 = Dorado| map4team1score = 3 | map4team2score = 2

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37442 Details]

| final_in_list = yes

}}

{{main|2021 Overwatch League Grand Finals}}

{{Overwatch collapsible box

| match = Grand Finals | date = September 25 | year = 2021 | time = {{24 h to 12 h|18:00}} PDT

| team1 = Atlanta Reign | team1score = 0

| team2 = Shanghai Dragons | team2score = 4

| map1 = Ilios | map1team1score = 0 | map1team2score = 2

| map2 = Hanamura | map2team1score = 2 | map2team2score = 3

| map3 = King's Row | map3team1score = 5 | map3team2score = 6

| map4 = Havana | map4team1score = 2 | map4team2score = 3

| location = Online | stadium = | host =

| details = [https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/match/37441 Details]

| final_in_list = yes

}}

Teams in the season playoffs competed for a total prize pool of {{USD|3.2}}{{nbsp}}million, with the payout division detailed below.{{cite web |title=What is the Overwatch League |url=https://overwatchleague.com/en-us/about |website=The Overwatch League |access-date=September 23, 2021}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 95%;"
scope="col" style="width: 20px;"|{{tooltip|Pos|Position}} ! Team ! scope="col" style="width: 100px;"|{{tooltip|Bonus|Prize Money}}
1	Shanghai Dragons	$1,500,000
2	Atlanta Reign	$700,000
3	Dallas Fuel	$350,000
4	San Francisco Shock	$250,000
5	Chengdu Hunters	$150,000
6	Los Angeles Gladiators	$150,000
7	Philadelphia Fusion	$50,000
8	Washington Justice	$50,000

{{reflist}}

{{Overwatch_League}}

{{2021 OWL season by team}}

Overwatch

Playoffs