World Arena: Marvel Rivals Clash of Dancing Lions Map

The setup you need to know

Clash of the Dancing Lions is a 3v3 soccer-like game that takes place on the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda's World Arena map. All you need to do is reach 10 points to win the match. Each goal earns three points, and to do this, you just need to place the ball in the opponent's net until you reach those ten points.

Actually, the scoring is more nuanced than that. Landing the ball in the center portion of the enemy's goal will reward 3 points, while shots to the sides will only grant 1 point. The defenders are then given the ball to gain more advantage.

Each match is four minutes and the first to 10 points wins. If the timer runs out, the side with more points is declared the winner.

Each team is at opposite ends of the field and, during the initial match, must rush to the ball. The first character to reach it will automatically have it in their grasp without dribbling. However, if you are in the middle of an attack, you will get a "Cannot Carry The Ball" message. Being attacked by any means will cause you to drop the ball directly in place.

There are no eliminations in this mode. You can't be killed, just disarmed of the ball through attacks. No respawns to worry about.

Playing offense (scoring goals)

Aim for the center of the goal. The 3-point center zone is worth three times more than the 1-point side zones. Always aim center unless a defender is blocking it and you can guarantee a side shot.

Right or left-click on your mouse to have your character shoot. Remember, the longer you hold your button, the more powerful the shot will be. Charge your shots before releasing for max range and speed.

Use Black Widow's speed for breakaways. If your team wins possession near midfield, Black Widow should sprint downfield while the other two follow as backup.

Don't try to dribble through three defenders. The "rugby, not soccer" mental model is accurate here. A helpful mental model for beginners is to approach this mode more like rugby than traditional soccer. The emphasis is on carrying the ball, using short, tactical "kicks" (passes) to gain ground, and engaging in direct contests for possession, rather than long-distance shooting or intricate dribbling.

Pass to teammates in better positions. If you're being closed in by two defenders, throwing the ball to a teammate near the goal is way better than getting hit and dropping it.

Use Star-Lord's invincibility for last-second shots. His Celestial Flip makes him untouchable mid-dodge, which is the perfect way to charge into the goal box without getting interrupted.

Playing defense (stopping goals)

Iron Fist parks near the goal. He's your goalkeeper. His knockback abilities are perfect for disarming enemies who get close to your net. Use Iron Fist's Lion Dancer (spinning kick) to launch enemies and force ball drops. Time it for when an enemy is about to shoot.

Control the midfield. Maintaining possession and keeping the play in the opponent's half of the arena as much as possible puts constant pressure on them and reduces scoring threats against one's own goal.

Don't let the ball reach the center of your goal. Side shots are only 1 point. If you're going to give up a goal, force it to the sides where it costs you less.

Communicate ball position. Even non-verbal cues like positioning matter. If your defender sees an enemy breakaway, the forward should rotate back to help.

General things that matter

Most skills work to either help you carry the ball, disarm enemies, or score better shots. Learn which abilities do what for your character before queueing competitively.

There's no practice mode for Clash of Dancing Lions, so you'll just have to jump into games immediately. Thankfully, you can watch replays to better understand what occurred.

The most crucial element is working with your team. Do not move out of place like any of the characters, including going too far forward, ignoring the goal, or rushing back when losing the ball. Stick to your role. If you're the goalkeeper, don't chase the ball into the enemy half. If you're the forward, don't drop back to defend.

Player placement on the left/middle/right appears random at the start, with the middle player getting the ball at kickoff.

Don't celebrate goals too early. The team that just got scored on gets the ball back, which means they have immediate momentum. Be ready for the counter-attack.

Event-specific notes

Playing Clash of Dancing Lions during the Fortune & Colors event earned you Danqing, an event-specific currency. These rewards helped you progress through the event's reward tiers, ultimately unlocking items like Star-Lord's Lion's Mane costume and the "Of Festivals and Friends" gallery card.

All three characters used their Clashing Lions skins during the event, and their MVP animations were enabled. Enemies cannot be defeated. Instead, your skills will help you take the ball from them, or give you an edge in carrying it to the goal.

This was a limited-time event mode. It originally ran from January 23 to February 14, 2025, so it's not currently in the standard rotation. It might return in the future, just like Lúcioball returned from time to time in Overwatch. If NetEase brings back the Lunar New Year theme for future Spring Festivals, this mode may come back with potentially new heroes or rules.

Last thing: this is a casual fun mode, not a competitive grind. The 3v3 size and soccer rules mean coordination matters way more than mechanical skill. If you queue with two friends and assign clear roles before the match, you'll dominate solo queue teams every time. If you're solo queuing, focus on communicating positioning and rotating back to defense when your team loses the ball.