TEL Competition Rulebook

How to Read This Rulebook. It is intentionally written to be clear for coaches and players of all experience levels. Any attempt to circumvent this ruleset, the spirit of the rules, or general competitive integrity — even if not covered directly here — is addressed in Section 5: Player Conduct.

New to the platform? The Match Week Guide walks through one week from check-in to score report, and the FAQ answers the questions coaches ask most. For anything else, select Get Help at the bottom of the left navigation on the League Platform.

Introduction

This rulebook is the official and comprehensive set of rules, policies, and procedures governing all League play for the TANCHES.GG Esports League (TEL) Fall 2026 season. It brings general competition rules, game-specific rules, and player conduct expectations together into a single authoritative document.

1. League Overview

1.1 League Operator

The TANCHES.GG Esports League (TEL) is a K-12 scholastic esports league serving schools across Texas, operated in partnership with USAEL & Rally Cry.

1.2 League Platform

The League is hosted on the official TEL League Platform, powered by Rally Cry. All registration, scheduling, match communication, and score reporting happen on this platform. The flow is: register, check in, get matched, play, report.

1.3 League Schedule

The TEL Fall season runs from September through December. A season has three phases — an 8-week Regular Season, Playoffs, and a Championship. Each game title is played on a set day and time each week (see Section 4: Game Rules), and the full calendar is published before the season begins.

Fall Season Calendar

Late enrollment is available until the end of Regular Season Week 2; registration closes Sunday 10/4/26 at 11:59pm CT. All match times are Central Time.

TEL schools may also enter the national USAEL Open events that run alongside the state season. Those events are governed by the USAEL Open Rulebook; this rulebook governs TEL state competitions only.

1.4 League Eligibility

The League is open to all Texas schools — public, private, charter, and homeschool cohorts — that meet the grade criteria for each game competition (see Section 4: Game Rules) and have completed the TEL registration process. For team-based games, all players on a team must attend the same school or program unless TEL leadership grants a multi-school exception.

The Middle School (MS) league is for grades 6–8; the High School (HS) league is for grades 9–12. Students in grades 6–8 may, at their coach's discretion, register in the HS league instead of the MS league — but not both.

A student may only participate in one competition per game title.

Several titles carry an ESRB Teen rating and are open to High School only: VALORANT, Overwatch 2 and Marvel Rivals. Fortnite: Zone Wars is rated Teen but is offered at both levels.

1.4.1 Students Under 13

The League Platform requires players to be at least 13 years old to create an account. A coach may, with parent permission, use the Managed Member feature to roster younger students and manage their matches on the students' behalf.

1.5 Definition of Terms

2. League Format

2.1 Regular Season

The regular season runs for eight weeks. Each week, teams play up to one match in each competition they have entered, paired against an opponent with a similar record and rating. Each title has a fixed default match day and time (see Section 4: Game Rules). Standings rank teams by rating. Every match result moves a team's rating, and a bye adds a win to the record without changing the rating. Teams with the same rating are ordered by the tiebreakers in Section 2.4: Tiebreakers.

There is no preseason phase, but practice is available all season: the Scrims tab on any competition page lets teams schedule practice matches against other registered teams; see the Scrim Finder Guide.

2.2 Playoffs

After the regular season, qualifying teams enter a single-elimination playoff bracket. Bracket size scales with the number of eligible teams in each competition, with a minimum of four teams. Online playoff rounds run over the playoff weeks in the season calendar, leading to the Championship in Playoff Week 3. No matches are played during the Thanksgiving break.

Playoff Eligibility: a team that misses three or more regular-season weeks is not eligible for playoffs. A week counts as missed when the team does not play a match that week: it did not join the queue, its result is missing, or it forfeited. A bye is not a missed week. Ineligible teams may finish the regular season but will not be seeded into the bracket.

2.3 Championship

The Championship match in each competition is contested by the top two teams remaining in its playoff bracket, and is played during Playoff Week 3 (see the season calendar). Each title's Championship format is listed in Section 4: Game Rules.

2.4 Tiebreakers

If two or more teams have the same rating, they are ranked by the steps below, in order. Any teams still tied after a step move to the next step.

1. Match Performance — number of match wins. A bye counts as a match win.

2. Head-to-Head Record — when two teams are tied and have played each other, the winner of that match ranks higher.

3. Game Score Differential — for titles that report in-game scores (VALORANT, Rocket League, Madden NFL 26 and Fortnite: Zone Wars), total score for minus total score against across every game played. Titles that report only a winner skip this step.

4. Match Points — points earned for match wins and ties over the season.

5. Strength of Schedule — the combined match wins of every opponent a team has played.

3. League Rules

3.1 Registration Process

To be eligible to play, every coach must:

1. Create an account on the TEL League Platform.

2. Create a team, invite students, make sure every player has linked the game account the competition requires, and register for at least one competition. For team-based games, the entry's roster must meet that competition's minimum player requirement.

3. Follow the instructions for weekly check-in and match assignments.

Step-by-step help: the Coach Registration Guide covers creating your account and joining your school. The Team Creation Guide covers building a team and registering it for a competition. The Game Handles Guide covers linking game accounts, including entering handles for Managed Members.

3.2 Weekly Check-In & Match Assignment

Each week, teams confirm they intend to play by joining the Check-In Queue during the check-in window, which runs from Monday 12:00 AM CT of match week until 15 minutes before the title's default match time. The Check-In Queue is on the competition's Bracket tab: select the queue button at the top of that tab once for each entry.

When the window closes, 15 minutes before the match time, teams in the queue are paired automatically against opponents with a similar record and rating, and a team left without an opponent receives a bye (see Section 3.3: Byes). Match assignments are posted on the League Platform and sent to each coach's platform inbox, so teams should be at their stations and in Match Chat when the assignment arrives. Each title has a default match day and time listed in Section 4: Game Rules.

A team that does not join the Check-In Queue is not assigned a match for that week. Where the button is and what happens next: Tournament Formats Guide, Weekly Queue.

3.3 Byes

If a team joins the Check-In Queue and is left without an opponent when the window closes (an odd number of teams joined, or no valid opponent was left), it receives a bye. A bye adds a win to the team's record without changing its rating, so it only changes a team's place in the standings when it is tied on rating (see Section 2.4: Tiebreakers, step 1). It does not count against playoff eligibility. League Officials may also assign byes when scheduling requires it.

3.4 School Closures, Snow Days & Holidays

If school is not in session on a scheduled match day due to a state-wide holiday or similar closure, that title's default match time moves to the following day at the same time.

If an individual school is not in session due to a local closure, that school follows Section 3.5: Match Rescheduling to find a new match time. Coaches should communicate closures to League Officials as early as possible.

3.5 Match Rescheduling

Both coaches may agree to move a match. In the Reschedule section of the match page, select Propose New Times and offer up to three new times. The other team selects Review Times and accepts one, declines them all, or counters with times of its own. Once a time is accepted, the match moves and both teams are notified. An offer expires after 48 hours, or when its last offered time starts if that is sooner. A rescheduled match must still be played by the end of the day on Sunday of that week, and the Reschedule section only offers times that still leave both teams able to join the next week's Check-In Queue. If the match page has no Reschedule section, or the match can no longer be moved because match check-in has opened, select Flag Admin, choose General Support, and enter the new time in the details. If the coaches cannot agree, the match stays at its original time. During playoffs, reschedules are limited to 24 hours.

3.6 Match Day Process

3.6.1 Check-In & Communication

Both teams should be present in Match Chat and ready by the default match time. A coach or approved team captain from each team must establish communication in Match Chat at the start of the match; if a captain does so, the coach is expected to be available on request.

If a team has not joined the lobby or replied in Match Chat 15 minutes after the scheduled start time, the opposing coach selects Flag Admin on the match page and chooses Opponent Unresponsive. A league admin reviews the report and records the forfeit. If that team asks for a grace period in Match Chat, the opposing coach waits up to 30 minutes before flagging. Teams do not report a score for a match that was not played.

3.6.2 Lobby Creation

Both teams use Match Chat to agree on who hosts the lobby. If they cannot agree, the host defaults to the team marked Home on the Match page (the left side). The host creates the lobby using the game-specific settings in Section 4: Game Rules.

3.6.3 Match Play

Once both teams are in the lobby, each confirms in Match Chat that the settings are correct and that they are ready. After both confirm, the host starts the match.

3.6.4 Score Reporting

When the match is complete, the winning team reports the result on the Match page with Report Scores (step by step: Match Week Guide, Report the Score). For VALORANT, Rocket League, Madden NFL 26 and Fortnite: Zone Wars, enter each team's in-game score for every game (rounds, goals or points), not just the winner; those scores feed the Game Score Differential tiebreaker in Section 2.4. The other team then has 24 hours to accept or dispute the result; a report that is not answered within 24 hours is accepted automatically. If there is a dispute, use Flag Admin on the Match page to request a League Official before leaving.

3.6.5 Forfeits

All forfeits are final unless subject to TEL discretion. A forfeit may be applied for a no-show, an inability to field enough players, a conduct ruling, ineligible players, missing results, or lack of communication. A match won by forfeit is recorded at the minimum score needed to win (for example, 2–0 for a best-of-three). A bye records no score, so it adds nothing to the Game Score Differential tiebreaker in Section 2.4. A team that cannot play may forfeit its own match on the Match page with Forfeit Match (coach or Team Captain) instead of no-showing.

3.7 Substitutions

In team-based games, substitutions are allowed between games (or maps or sets) as long as the opposing team is notified and the substitute is on the entry's roster. Once a Game of Record is established, no substitutions may be made until that game is complete.

The number of substitutes scales with the size of the starting lineup. Solo titles carry no substitutes.

3.8 Stoppage of Play

General pause and disconnect handling is below. Because each game handles pauses differently, always defer to the title-specific rules in Section 4: Game Rules.

3.8.1 Player Disconnections

If a player disconnects in a game that supports pausing, the match may be paused per that title's rules. Players should keep screenshots as proof of when a disconnect happened. Both teams must confirm readiness in Match Chat before play resumes.

3.8.2 Voluntary / Directed Pauses

Pausing without permission is treated as unfair play and may draw a penalty. League Officials may direct a pause at any time. Pauses expected to last longer than 10 minutes should be approved by a League Official.

3.9 Spectating

Team members not actively playing (a coach or substitute) may spectate unless the other team requests otherwise. For streams or broadcasts, both coaches must agree in Match Chat before the match and honor any request to remove spectators between games. Some titles do not allow in-game spectators due to latency (noted in Section 4).

3.10 Active Coaching

Coaching is permitted before a match and between games, sets, or maps. Once a game is live (at or after the Game of Record), coaches and non-participating team members may not direct players or communicate strategy until that game ends. Coaches may always assist with technical issues, pauses, and communication with League Officials. Any title-specific coaching limits are noted in Section 4.

3.11 Coach Responsibilities

Coaches are the primary point of contact for their team and are responsible for their players' readiness, conduct, and results reporting throughout the season: rostering eligible players (per Section 1.4), completing weekly check-in, being present in Match Chat at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start, coordinating lobbies, substitutions and pauses with the opposing coach, coaching only between games (per Section 3.10: Active Coaching), and making sure results are reported and verified within the 24-hour review window.

The full pre-match, match-day and post-match checklist is in the Match Week Guide, Coach Responsibilities. Before the season, the IT & Networking Guide covers network, firewall and anti-cheat requirements, and the Game Handles Guide covers linking game accounts.

3.12 Network Connection

A wired Ethernet connection is strongly recommended for every title. It matters most for Nintendo Switch titles such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where one player's wireless connection causes lag for everyone in the lobby.

If a team's connection causes lag that makes a match unplayable, the opposing coach should report it with Flag Admin. League Officials may place that team on hold, with no match assignments, until it can play on a wired connection that does not disrupt the match for both teams. Setup help for wired Switch play is in the IT & Networking Guide.

4. Game Rules

Each title below lists its match format, platform, team size, lobby settings, Game of Record and tiebreaker in one table, followed by pick/ban, disconnection handling, and title-specific rules. Titles are listed in match-day order. All match times are Central Time.

TEL match days mirror the TexSEF schedule, and every TEL title starts at 3:45pm CT so matches finish before the 5:00pm CT TexSEF queue and Varsity windows. Schools competing in both leagues should plan their station and staffing needs around that handover.

Rules Overview

4.1 VALORANT

Default Match Time: Monday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Pick / Ban & Selection

Teams run the veto in Match Chat before the match. Map pool: Abyss, Bind, Corrode, Haven, Lotus, Summit, Sunset. The pool locks when the regular season ends.

Championship (Bo3): teams alternate bans and picks until three maps are set. Home team bans, then Away team bans; Away team picks Map 1 and Home team picks Map 2, with the opposing team selecting side on each; the map remaining after the final bans is the decider, and sides on it are decided by a coin flip in Match Chat.

Agents: 80-second blind agent select. A team cannot run two of the same agent, but both teams may pick the same agent.

Disconnections

A disconnected player should reconnect as soon as possible; the game continues with the current lobby. You may not substitute mid-game. Each team gets two 60-second tactical timeouts (one per side); type /timeout to start a team vote.

Additional Rules

• Riot Vanguard: required anti-cheat. Schools must configure PCs (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, UEFI) before the first match — involve IT early.

• Mature Content: toggle Show Mature Content OFF before joining.

• Server: teams agree on the server with the lowest mutual ping.

• New Agents and Weapons: A new agent or weapon is banned in league play for two weeks after its release.

4.2 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — Team Races

Default Match Time: Monday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Track Selection

Every player must choose Random. If a player does not and their track is chosen, that team loses 15 points from the game (additive per violation) — submit screenshots to officials.

Disconnections

Keep a screenshot after every race (Switch capture button). If the host disconnects, the lobby is remade and teams finish the remaining races, then add the screenshot points to the new lobby's points. If a player disconnects, they rejoin at the start of the next track; points earned before the disconnect only count with screenshot proof.

Additional Rules

• Karts & Characters: players may change character or kart between races (press Y in the lobby) and may use smart steering and auto-accelerate.

• Glitching: using in-game glitches to gain an advantage results in a game loss and possible further penalty (screenshot or video proof required).

• DLC: Booster Course Pass tracks may appear if any player owns them; the DLC is recommended but not required.

• Spectating: not allowed, due to latency.

4.3 Overwatch 2

Default Match Time: Monday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Pick / Ban & Selection

Map 1 is always Control. After that, the team that lost the previous map picks the next map, its mode and its starting side. Hybrid and Flashpoint count as one mode choice, so after Control the three choices are Hybrid or Flashpoint, Push, and Escort. A mode choice cannot be picked again once it has been played, until Map 5 of a First to 3 match. If a map from the wrong mode is chosen, restart before GOR.

Higher-seeded team: in the regular season, the team marked Home on the Match page; in the Playoffs and Championship, the team with the better bracket seed. Play stops once a team reaches the map wins it needs.

Hero Bans: after map and side are set, each team bans one hero per map (the map-picking team bans first). A role can only be banned once per map across both teams; a hero can be banned once per team per match. Bans apply to both teams. The lobby host toggles banned heroes off before each game.

Disconnections

A disconnect allows a pause; the player has 5 minutes to reconnect or play continues with the current lobby. You may not fill a disconnected player's spot mid-game. If a full team disconnects, they have 5 minutes to return or forfeit that game.

Additional Rules

• Perks: hero Perks are enabled by default for competitive play — no extra setup needed.

• Roles: roles are locked once a round begins; players may swap roles between games.

• Profile Privacy: competing players must be reachable by their opponents in the Invite Only lobby, so share BattleTags in Match Chat before the first game.

• New Heroes: A new hero is banned in league play for two weeks after its release.

4.4 Marvel Rivals

Default Match Time: Tuesday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Pick / Ban & Selection

Teams must follow the game-mode order below. If the wrong mode is selected, restart before GOR.

Ban / Lock: once all 12 players are in the lobby, team leaders take turns banning and locking heroes (locking prevents a hero from being banned). Missed bans and picks are forfeited.

Disconnections

A disconnect allows a 5-minute pause. If GOR is established, the round continues unless both teams agree to restart; if not established, return to lobby, let the player rejoin, and restart the map. You may not fill a disconnected player's spot mid-game.

Additional Rules

• Costumes: in the regular season, characters must use default costumes and MVP animations; alternate costumes are prohibited (one warning per team, then penalties). Starting in playoffs, spectator customizations are disabled in the Tournament Room, so this rule is no longer enforced.

• Profile Privacy: competing players set Career Profile → Overview Visibility to Everyone so opponents can verify identity.

• No Ximming: using mouse & keyboard on console via a XIM device is strictly prohibited.

4.5 Fortnite: Zone Wars

Default Match Time: Tuesday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Pick / Ban & Selection

• Loadout: both teams vote for BoxFight Loot. If a different loadout starts, return to lobby and recreate; a game finished with the wrong loadout still counts as a Game of Record.

• Server: teams pick the regional server with the lowest mutual ping; officials decide if they cannot agree.

Disconnections

If a player disconnects mid-round, finish the round and screenshot the score. When the player reconnects, recreate the game and play until a team reaches 10 round wins. If there is no update in Match Chat within 10 minutes, contact League Officials.

Additional Rules

• Voice Chat: turn off in-game voice chat before pairing with opponents; coordinate through Match Chat.

• Spectating: in-island spectating is not available; replays can be recorded via Settings → Game → Replays.

4.6 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate — Solos

Default Match Time: Tuesday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Pick / Ban & Selection

This is a 1v1 match.

• Stage Striking, Game 1 (Starter stages only): Home strikes 1 → Away strikes 2 → Home strikes 1 → the remaining stage is played.

• Stage Striking, Game 2 Onward (Starter + Counterpick): the winner of the previous game strikes 2 → the loser picks from the rest, and may not pick a stage they have already won on.

• Character Selection: Game 1 is a blind pick, so neither player sees the other's character before choosing. From Game 2 on, once the stage is chosen, the team that won the previous game announces their player's character first, and the loser picks second.

Omega and Battlefield stage variations are not allowed. DLC stages can only be picked if a player in the match owns them.

Disconnections

If a player disconnects, the lobby closes; the player must explain in Match Chat within 10 minutes or risk losing the match. If they return in time, recreate the game with the same fighters, stage, and stock count — damage % is not reset — and continue.

Additional Rules

• Mii Fighters: must use default costumes and a Guest Mii; the player must announce their move set (a 4-digit code, e.g. 1213) in Match Chat before the game.

• Spectating: not available — Switch titles are excluded from in-game spectating due to latency.

4.7 Rocket League

Default Match Time: Thursday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Disconnections

By default players cannot pause an in-progress game. Play continues through a disconnect, and the disconnected player may attempt to rejoin mid-game. If they cannot rejoin during the game, the team has 5 minutes before the next game to return the player to the lobby or replace them with a substitute; a substitute may not replace them mid-game. Otherwise the match proceeds to the next game with the players present. If a full team disconnects, they have 5 minutes to return or forfeit that game.

Additional Rules

• Controllers: players may use a controller or mouse & keyboard.

• Content Updates: any cars or items disabled by the publisher are not allowed; matches run on the current patch.

4.8 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate — Crew Battles

Formerly Smash Ultimate Team Solos.

Default Match Time: Thursday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Crew Battle Format (King of the Hill)

A match is best 2 of 3 sets. Each set is a crew battle played as a series of 1v1 games. The loser of each game is out and the winner stays on. A set ends when every player on one team has lost all of their stocks, and the other team wins the set.

• Each Set: every set starts fresh, with 3 players per team at full stocks. Before it starts, each team names the players who will compete, Home team first. The two opening players pick characters blind, then strike stages using the Game 1 rules below.

• Carried Stocks: a player who stays on plays the next game with only the stocks they had left. Every game starts at 3 stocks, so at the start they run off the stage once for each stock they lost (won with 2 stocks left, run off once). Play begins when the in-game timer reaches 6:45, 15 seconds after GO, and the incoming player does not attack before then.

• Reporting: report each set as one game on the League Platform, so a match score is 2-0 or 2-1.

Pick / Ban & Selection

Each game is one player vs. one player. The player who wins stays on for the next game, and the team that just lost sends in any of its remaining players.

• Stage Striking, Game 1 (Starter stages only): Home strikes 1 → Away strikes 2 → Home strikes 1 → the remaining stage is played.

• Stage Striking, Game 2 Onward (Starter + Counterpick): the winner of the previous game strikes 2 → the incoming player picks from the rest. A player returning from a win also gets a free strike to remove a stage they already won on.

• Character Selection: Game 1 is a blind pick, so neither player sees the other's character before choosing. From Game 2 on, once the stage is chosen, the player who stayed on keeps the character they just played, and the incoming player picks second.

Omega and Battlefield stage variations are not allowed. DLC stages can only be picked if a team in the match owns them.

Disconnections

If a player disconnects, the lobby closes; the player must explain in Match Chat within 10 minutes or risk losing the game. If they return in time, recreate the game with the same fighters, stage, and stock count — damage % is not reset — and continue.

Additional Rules

• Mii Fighters: must use default costumes and a Guest Mii; the player must announce their move set (a 4-digit code, e.g. 1213) in Match Chat before the game.

• Spectating: not available — Switch titles are excluded from in-game spectating due to latency.

4.9 Madden NFL 26

Default Match Time: Thursday 3:45pm CT

Format & Settings

Team Selection

Players choose any current NFL team and may pick a different team each game; both players may pick the same team. Alternative, legends, and custom teams are not allowed.

Disconnections

The game auto-pauses on a disconnect — screenshot the score, time, and error. Willingly leaving is a loss. On a network disconnect in the first half, recreate the game with the same sides, subtract elapsed time, finish the remaining time, then add both games' scores. If the losing player disconnects in the second half, the current result stands; if the winning player disconnects in the second half, reset using the same steps.

Additional Rules

• Onside Kicks: not allowed in the first half; allowed anytime in the second half.

• No Custom Playbooks: players may mix a team, an offensive playbook, and a defensive playbook, but not a self-made custom playbook.

• Improper Audibles: no audibles from QB kneel, Wildcat, field goal, or punt formations. No intentional offsides to stall.

5. Player Conduct

5.1 Code of Conduct

Players must compete to the best of their ability at all times and follow the USAEL Code of Conduct:

• Respect: treat all players, organizers, and spectators with respect.

• Integrity: play honestly and follow the rules of the game.

• Graciousness: be humble in victory and courteous in defeat.

• Language: use appropriate, respectful language at all times.

• Anti-Bullying: zero tolerance for harassment, bullying, or discrimination of any kind.

• Feedback: keep feedback constructive; avoid toxic comments.

Any form of cheating or foul play by any team member will not be tolerated. All members are prohibited from influencing a match so its outcome is decided by anything other than the competitive merits of the teams.

5.2 Standards of Competition

Players may never cheat or seek an unfair advantage. Unfair play includes, but is not limited to:

• Exploiting bugs or glitches

• Collusion or match manipulation

• Hacking or third-party cheat software

• Ringing — playing under another person's identity, or fielding ineligible players

• Intentional disconnection

A team member found violating these standards will be issued a loss for that game and may face additional penalties at the discretion of League Officials, up to and including disqualification from the League.

5.3 Spirit of the Rules

These rules exist to ensure fair play, integrity, and a positive experience for everyone. They are not just a checklist — they embody the spirit of competition, sportsmanship, and respect. Participants are expected to follow both the letter and the intent of the rules. Exploiting loopholes, manipulating gameplay, or unsportsmanlike conduct is a violation of the spirit of the rules.

5.4 Organizer Discretion

Interpreting and enforcing these rules — including any situation not explicitly covered — is at the sole discretion of League Officials. They may act in the best interests of the competition, its participants, and fair play. These decisions are final and binding, cannot be appealed, and may include penalties up to and including disqualification from the League.

5.5 Player Responsibility

By participating, you acknowledge that League Officials have the authority to interpret the rules and take any action necessary to maintain the integrity and spirit of the competition.

6. Policies & Administration

6.1 Amendments

TEL and any event partners reserve the right to update, revise, or modify these rules when appropriate. Major changes are recorded in the Change Log below, and it is every coach's and player's responsibility to review the current rulebook. The version shown at the top of this page always matches the most recent Change Log entry.

6.2 Change Log