Apex Legends Challenger and Goliath Matches are coming in Season 31 as part of Respawn’s Ranked matchmaking changes. When your squad is matched with a lobby considerably above your rank, a Challenger Match lowers the RP entry cost. If you’re much stronger than the typical lobby, a Goliath Match increases that entry cost instead.
These aren’t extra playlists you can select. The game looks at the median rank of the squads already in your lobby, then decides whether your squad is significantly above or below it. The label and entry-cost adjustment are shown when you load into the match.
How Apex Legends Challenger and Goliath Matches work
At the start of a Ranked match, Apex calculates a Lobby Tier, the median rank of the squads present. Your team is then compared with that typical tier. If your squad is at least two entire tiers below the Lobby Tier, it is a Challenger Match for your team. If your squad is two or more tiers above, it becomes a Goliath Match.
| Your squad compared with the Lobby Tier | Match label | RP entry cost |
|---|---|---|
| Two or more ranks below | Challenger Match | Reduced |
| Within one tier above or below | Normal Ranked match | Usual entry cost |
| Two or more ranks above | Goliath Match | Increased |
This is a squad-specific adjustment. A Bronze team and a Diamond team in the same Gold lobby may see different labels and entry costs, while the Gold, Silver and Platinum teams use the normal rate.
What counts as a Challenger Match?
Imagine a Ranked lobby where the median team sits at Gold. A Bronze squad is two tiers below that level, so its players would see a Challenger Match. Respawn reduces their entry cost to reflect the more difficult opponents they’re expected to face.
A Silver squad in the same example is only one tier below Gold, so it does not receive that adjustment. The rule is based on two or more rank tiers, not one or two divisions within a tier. An individual division such as Gold II or Gold III isn’t the same kind of difference as Bronze versus Gold.
A Challenger label doesn’t award bonus RP just for showing up. It reduces the RP you risk at entry, giving an under-ranked squad more room to earn a positive result against stronger opponents.
What counts as a Goliath Match?
In that same Gold-median lobby, a Diamond squad is two tiers higher and receives the Goliath Match label. Respawn increases its RP entry cost, reflecting the advantage the higher-ranked squad is expected to have over the average opposition.
Platinum is only one tier above the Gold Lobby Tier, so it would use the ordinary entry cost in this example. If matchmaking places a Diamond squad into a much tougher Diamond or Master lobby instead, its relative ranking changes and the Goliath adjustment would not apply automatically.
Your squad can be a Goliath in one match and see no special label in the next. Nothing changes on your account permanently; the classification is recalculated from each lobby’s median rank.
How much RP does a Challenger or Goliath Match change?
Respawn’s example screenshots show what a Challenger or Goliath entry-cost adjustment can look like, but the full price table hasn’t been released. Use the number displayed when you load into your own Season 31 match to see the actual RP at stake.
To calculate the exact cost in your Season 31 match, check the Ranked entry information shown by the game after matchmaking. The final values can depend on the current Ranked rules and the Lobby Tier, which is why an old screenshot from another rank isn’t a reliable figure for your own squad.
Will Apex Legends Challenger and Goliath Matches affect matchmaking?
Matchmaking still decides which Ranked lobby you join. The new calculation only changes your entry cost after the game determines the median tier. It doesn’t guarantee easier opponents for a higher-ranked squad or stronger opponents for everyone below the median.
In Season 31, high-tier Ranked will also introduce weighted Legend ban voting and Drop Zone deployment in matches with Diamond+ players. Those rules are separate from the Lobby Tier calculation, so don’t confuse a Champion squad getting banned Legends with the RP adjustment for facing stronger opponents.
When do Challenger and Goliath Matches launch?
Apex Legends Challenger and Goliath Matches are scheduled for Season 31 in November 2026. They were announced in advance, so the current Ranked system in October is not yet using these new match labels. Respawn is also removing Road to Ranked challenges in Season 31 and returning to Account Level 20 as the straightforward Ranked unlock.
Season 32 will follow with larger changes to the Ranked structure, including Iron, Emerald and Grandmaster. Our Season 32 ranks guide covers how those future divisions and Pro-Am Leagues will work.
The match-label rules are part of a broader update. Our Apex Legends Season 31 Ranked guide also covers the new Level 20 unlock requirement, removal of Road to Ranked challenges and Demotion Shield indicators.
Related Apex Legends Challenger and Goliath Matches Guides
Official source: Respawn’s Apex Legends Seasons 31 and 32 Ranked Roadmap.
