IEM: RIO MAJOR 2022
Not so much time has gone, and we are here again. But this time, Antwerpen passed the baton to Rio de Janeiro! So, finally, CS:GO Major will be conducted on the land of hot weather, beautiful sea, and breathtaking carnivals.
Why is it so special this time? First, this major should've been conducted almost two years ago, but our "beloved" friend - COVID-19 - has messed up all plans. And everybody was waiting and hoping that someday their dream would come true.
Second, Brazil is known for its fans. It implies not only soccer but also CS:GO. And that's where things become even more exciting. Brazilian fans are outrageously good at cheering and making every sport and eSports event better.
Moreover, the IEM Rio Major 2022 will hold spectators at every tournament stage. So, the group stage won't be neglected. The organization ensured that Jeunesse Arena would be a place where history would change one more time!
How do teams qualify?
In case you don't know or forgot, we are reminding you how teams are qualified for the Major and what every team will face on their path to becoming the best.
There are several stages in qualifications: Challengers and Legends. First, the placing is made according to how many games a team won during RMR (Regional Major Ratings) tournaments, and from every region, several of them are chosen. After, all qualified teams gather together and move to the tournament location.
Just to ease the understanding, for legends, it is easy to get to the playoffs, while for challengers, the group stage is just one more qualification. How it looks during the Major
- There are 16 Challengers and 8 Legends.
- Challengers play against each other until 8 of them are left.
- Then, those challengers who left join legends, and again, everybody plays against each other until 8 of them are gone.
- And after all of that begins the so-called Champions stage, the last eight teams will compete for the Major Champion title.
Now, let's have a look at the complete list of the participants of IEM Rio Major 2022:
Very special attention will receive Furia and Imperial Esports because the rosters are completely compiled with Brazilian players. Just imagine the morale boost of these teams. We hope the stadium won't be demolished if one of these teams loses even a round.
So, even though the prize pool of this Major is slightly less than some of the previous ones, it doesn't make it less exciting. The Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022 will start right after The International 2022. That looks like an intense autumn in eSports this year, so you are welcome to spectate and cheer!