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Valve have officially locked in the team list for the upcoming BLAST.tv Austin Major with the release of the crucial April 7 Regional Standings update, setting the stage for Counter-Strike 2’s first Major on North American soil since ELEAGUE Boston 2018.
A total of 32 teams will contest the Major, with 16 earning direct invites based on regional rankings and another 16 to be decided via the upcoming Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs) running from April 14 to 17.
Eight teams have punched their tickets directly into Stage 3, bypassing both early Swiss system stages.
Stage 3 direct invites
Unsurprisingly, Europe leads the way with six squads, joined by top sides from the Americas and Asia.
- Team Vitality
- MOUZ
- Team Spirit
- Aurora Gaming
- Natus Vincere
- G2 Esports
- Team Liquid
- The MongolZ
Stage 2 direct invites
The next eight teams will begin their Major journey in Stage 2, still needing to prove themselves in one Swiss round before entering the main stage.
- Team Falcons (expected to field m0NESY)
- FaZe Clan
- 3DMAX
- Virtus.pro
- paiN Gaming
- FURIA Esports
- MIBR
- M80
Europe MRQ (April 14–17) – 6 Major Spots
The remaining 16 teams will emerge from the six regional MRQs. Europe leads with six qualifying spots, followed by three each from North and South America, two from China, and one each from Oceania and Asia.
This stacked qualifier features top-tier orgs and rising challengers. Astralis, HEROIC, and GamerLegion headline the field.
- Astralis
- SAW
- HEROIC
- 500
- OG
- BetBoom Team
- PARIVISION
- ENCE
- GamerLegion
- BC.Game
- BIG
- B8
- Nemiga
- Fnatic
- 9 Pandas
- Metizport
North America MRQ (April 15–17) – 3 Major Spots
North America’s best will battle online for their share of the Major spotlight.
- Complexity
- NRG
- Getting Info
- Nouns Esports
- Wildcard Gaming
- BLUEJAYS
- Marsborne
- MIGHT
South America MRQ (April 15–17) – 3 Major Spots
Brazil dominates the South America qualifier lineup, with Imperial, Fluxo, and Legacy leading the charge.
- Imperial Esports
- Legacy
- ODDIK
- RED Canids
- Fluxo
- Sharks
- BESTIA
- Solid
China MRQ (April 15–17) – 2 Major Spots
With the highest-ranked team in the Asia region, China has secured two Major slots.
- Rare Atom
- TYLOO
- Lynn Vision
- DogEvil
Oceania MRQ (April 15–17) – 1 Major Spot
Four Aussie squads will scrap for a lone path to Austin.
- SemperFi
- ex-TALON
- FlyQuest
- Rooster
Asia MRQ (April 15–17) – 1 Major Spot
Mongolia and India are in focus here, with The Huns and Chinggis Warriors among the contenders.
- The Huns
- Gods Reign
- Chinggis Warriors
- Eruption
With just under two months to go, the path to the BLAST.tv Austin Major is set.
For fans, it’s a return to Counter-Strike greatness on North American soil, and for teams, it’s the final sprint towards Counter-Strike 2’s biggest stage yet.
