The first day of the first European Qualifier for EMS One Katowice is over. Open to everyone, this cup is for those looking for that one chance to take a spot in the US$250,000 tournament, which is now only three weeks away. Almost 240 teams have already stepped up to face Europe's best for a chance to be part of the biggest European eSports event of all times. With the first three rounds having already been played, only 32 teams are left to battle for the precious remaining spots. There's also been changes to some of the teams who have already qualified, which you can read all about below.
Which teams didn't live up to their ambitions?
With ALTERNATE, k1ck, H2k and ESC Gaming, a lot of big names are still looking for a chance to make it to Katowice. However, the strong Scandinavian teams especially threaten their status as the best in the world once again. A lot of participants have already had to hinge their hopes on the second and last qualifiers for the EU Finals, including Playing Ducks, Team CRG, Faith and many others. Tonight the action continues and the 64 remaining teams will be reduced to the final eight. The final matches, which will decide which teams take the four spots for the EU Finals, will be played and streamed on Thursday night.
Check out the full bracket here.
Two Danish teams finding new organizations
Former teams n!faculty and Copenhagen Wolves were looking for new organizations to back them up. By the start of the week, both were flying new colors. It's not only good news for the teams themselves but also the CS:GO scene as a whole. The über G33KZ, as the former CH Wolves have called themselves, have been picked up by one of the biggest and most prestigious organizations out there - Team Dignitas is the new home of FeTiSh and his teammates. Foremer n!faculty team members are now part of 3DMAX, who had some bad luck in the form of their teams disbanding following some negative results.
| Team Dignistas consists of: | 3DMAX is represented by: | |
|---|---|---|
|
Andreas 'Xyp9x' Højsleth Nicolai 'device' Reedtz Henrik 'FeTiSh' Christensen Peter 'dupreeh' Rasmussen René 'cajunb' Borg |
Philip 'aizy' Aistrup Lukas 'gla1ve' Rossander Mathias 'MSL' Lauridsen Jacob 'Pimp' Winneche Rasmus 'raalz' Steensborg |
While those two teams have been lucky, the former team members of Astana Dragons are still to be signed before EMS One Katowice takes place. Due to their placement at DreamHack Winter 2013, the team is already qualified for Katowice, and so are a good acquisition for anyone who'd like to support the Eastern European mix or just gain some exposure by being present at Europe's biggest eSports event.
Hello guys, @YegorMarkeloff, @OfficialANGE1, kucher, @MikhailDosia & @AdreNcs are looking for a new home, get in touch with @kiddoq #csgo
— Astana Dragons (@Astana_Dragons) 19. Februar 2014
The next steps towards Katowice
On Friday, we'll give you the next big update on the qualified teams as well as taking a look at the second European Qualification with the final four spots for the EU Finals. Stay tuned to make sure you're kept up to date about who you'll get to see up on that massive stage!
