Over the next week, 32 teams will compete for seats to the next major tournament in CS: GO. The qualifiers will start today with the matches of the opening rounds of the A-block.
The European qualifiers for the next major tournament in the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive video game will kick off on Sunday with qualifiers in the A-qualifiers.
Of the 16 teams in the qualifiers, there will be 8 seats to the tournament to be played in Antwerp, Belgium in May. Major tournaments are the biggest tournaments on CS: GO and are only played 1-2 times a year. The tournaments are organized by Valve, a US player who developed the game.
Natus Vincere, or NAVI, the winner of Stockholm’s autumn 2021 major tournament, is aiming for a place in the A-qualifier. The team of the Ukrainian organization will leave its qualifying block as one of the biggest pre-favorites.
Romanian company PGL, which hosts the major tournament, has banned organizations and individuals closely linked to the Russian administration from participating in the tournament, so Russian-owned Virtus.Pro and Gambit have been excluded from the qualifiers.
Virtus.Pro’s owner company, the internet company VK, is based on the insurance company Sogaz, which is connected to the Russian management and has been placed on the EU sanctions list. The main owner of MTS, the telecom operator that owns Gambit, is an oligarch Vladimir Yevtushenkov in turn belongs Vladimir Putin but has not yet been sanctioned.
However, players from teams excluded from the tournament will be allowed to enter the tournament under a neutral name. Virtus.Pro’s Kazakh-Russian five participate in the qualifiers called Outsiders.
European Major Qualifiers, Antwerp 2022
Sunday 17.4. (all matches the best of one)
13.15 FaZe – Eternal Fire
14.30 Vitality – Dignity
17.00 2nd round match
18.15 Round 2 Match
19.30 2nd round match
20.45 2nd round match