Knights Arena Challengers League Playoff Preview

May 30, 2023

After four months of play, The Knights Arena Challengers League has seen the top North American teams battle through Split 1, the Mid-Season Face Off, and Split 2 to determine who will qualify for Playoffs and book their ticket to the VCT Americas Ascension Tournament.

To kick off the season, M80 and The Guard dominated the league as early favorites to qualify for the Ascension Tournament. In Split 2, we saw Moist Moguls leap forward with a 5-0 run, leading in nearly every statistical category throwing their name into the mix of frontrunners.

Now, the top eight teams head into the final act of the North American Challengers League circuit. Here’s everything you need to know about the opening matches of the Challengers League Playoffs.

The Playoffs Bracket

Playoffs begin on May 31 at 4 p.m. EDT with the top eight teams in the Challengers League playing through a double elimination bracket, with the top two teams in the event making their way to Champions Tour 2023 Americas: Ascension. The Ascension Tournament will bring the top teams together, in-person, to decide who from LATAM, Brazil, or North America will qualify for the VCT Americas League for 2024.

M80 vs Shopify Rebellion

The first match of playoffs brings the number 1 seed M80, with the best record across both Splits and a Mid-Season Face Off win, against Shopify Rebellion, who narrowly clinched a spot in playoffs by winning their final Split 2 match. M80 has proved themselves as the top dog in the league from the start, while Shopify struggled initially before finding their footing in Split 2.

G2 Esports vs Oxygen Esports

The other match on the top side of the bracket will be between G2 Esports and Oxygen Esports. Oxygen has had a steady performance in the league with a 3-2 record in both splits with a 4th place finish at the Mid-Season Face Off. G2, on the other hand, has been the opposite of consistent, going from finishing at the top of their group in Split 1 and 2nd at the Mid-Season Face Off to not finding a win in Split 2.

The Guard vs FaZe Clan

The Guard and FaZe Clan will kick off the opposite side of the bracket, bringing the teams together for the third time this season. The Guard has led the matchup 4-0 in maps, with FaZe only winning 10 rounds in their most recent series. Since their most recent encounter, FaZe has been on the upswing, finishing their final four games with a 3-1 record. However, the Guard's dominance through both splits cannot be understated, having kept up with fellow frontrunners M80 and Moist Moguls across both splits.

Moist Moguls vs TSM

The final match of the first round of playoffs is between Moist Moguls and TSM. Both teams have never been in the same group, and have only played in the Mid-Season Face Off, with Moist Moguls taking the win. It’s no secret that Moist Moguls were a dominant force in Split 2, having the only undefeated performance in the split, while TSM, after starting with a strong 4-1 record in Split 1, struggled in Split 2 with a 2-3 finish.

The first round of playoffs features an intense set of matches across the board. Make sure you do not miss a round starting May 31st at 4 PM EDT.

WHERE TO WATCH