Challengers EMEA Weekly Recap: All of the Action (Feb 23-28)

Mar 2, 2023

As we reach the final weeks of Challengers EMEA Split 1, some regions have already seen some playoffs action, while others are determining their top teams. Here’s a rundown of everything that happened this week.

DACH: Evolution

Playoffs have just begun for DACH: Evolution, and we’ve already seen some huge upsets. Despite finishing first in the regular season, MOUZ have yet again been hit by the playoff curse, crashing out of the competition early, the pressure seemingly affecting their performance on the server. They lost 2-0 to CGN Esports in the upper bracket, then 2-1 to Angry Titans in the lower bracket semifinal.

Out in front and leaving rainbows in their tracks are the Unicorns of Love, who fast-tracked to the grand finals by taking down Angry Titans and CGN - the latter of whom struggled most to halt their charge. As Angry Titans face CGN in the lower bracket final, there’s no doubt that they’re both looking to secure that second finals spot for a chance to exert their revenge on those pesky ponies.

East: Surge

East: Surge is on hiatus until March 5, when we’ll see the last two days of the regular season before playoffs begin on March 9. 

France: Revolution

The stage is set for a very exciting playoffs in France: Revolution between the top 6, with all of the action kicking off on March 9.

Italy: Rinascimento

It finally happened, folks; DSYRE lost a match! Just ahead of playoffs and a flawless run, the formerly dominant team lost out to HMBLE on Ascent but remains locked into playoffs either way. Despite this loss, they’re still incredibly formidable, but it’s been proven that gods can bleed, and their fellow playoff rivals are sharks in the water, ready to snap. 

MENA: Resilience

GCC & Iraq

And finally, the hunter becomes the prey; unfortunately, Team Falcons had a pretty disastrous week, dropping both of their matches to Twisted Minds and The Ultimates, falling into second place behind Triple Esports Club. Triple Esports had a relatively easy run this week, by comparison, facing off against the teams at the bottom end of the table. How they fare against Twisted Minds will shake up the standings once more - and with playoffs looming, it’s anyone’s game.

Levant & North Africa

This was a big week for Levant & North Africa, with three days of play and considerable changes to the leaderboard. Geekay Esports, NASR Esports, and Team RA’AD are all tied for first place, with NASR handing both a loss this week. Both matches were hard fought, though, with Geekay and Team RA’AD taking one map off of NASR, but ultimately falling at the final hurdle. With the race to playoffs approaching the finish line, we’ll have to see if one of these top squads pulls ahead.

Northern Europe: Polaris

It’s official: Apeks, Les Petits Bouffons, FOKUS, and HSDIRR are your Northern Europe: Polaris playoff squads. HSDIRR cemented their spot in a hard-fought battle with VAMONOS, who stole away second-map Ascent but struggled to bring it back on Lotus. With March 6 marking the start of playoffs, who will take the trophy? We’ll have to wait and see, but it promises to be a tight race, that’s for sure.

Portugal: Tempest

The stage is set and the playoffs have begun, and it’s probably no surprise that SAW are continuing to dominate, just as they did during the regular season. With their finals spot already secured after taking down GTZ Esports in a back-and-forth reverse sweep that saw second map Lotus plunge deep into overtime, SAW is determined to bring home the trophy. 

GTZ won’t let up without a fight, however, and with their faceoff against EGN Esports set for March 5, we can’t wait to see who challenges SAW for the crown.

Spain: Rising

It’s playoffs time across the border in Spain: Rising, with the quarterfinals already done and dusted. Falcons took down Rebels Gaming to secure their spot in the semifinals, where they face off against second-seed Case Esports.

Meanwhile, UCAM Tokiers ascended into the semis after taking down KPI Gaming, but they’ll have to face off against top seed Team Queso to earn their spot in the grand finals - and we all know that won’t be an easy match.

Türkiye: Birlik

Frontrunners have emerged and playoffs are in sight for Türkiye: Birlik. Fire Flux Esports and IF Parla Esports have pulled ahead of the pack in joint first position, with the former taking down third-place squad Papara SuperMassive in a particularly unpredictable back-and-forth 2-1 to close out their regular season. With two more matches left to play, March 6 will see the conclusion of the regular season. With the prize only millimetres away, who will come out on top?