CDL 2026 Stage 1 Major Qualifier Day 1 betting tips – Friday, December 5

The Call of Duty League (CDL) 2026 season officially begins on Friday, December 5, with the first round of Major 1 Qualifier.

The action begins with three fixtures as Riyadh Falcons face off against the in-form OpTic Texas, Carolina Royal Ravens clash with Boston Breach, and Los Angeles Thieves meet with FaZe Vegas.

Esportbet brings you free Call of Duty betting previews and expert picks for the opening day of action, with esports odds courtesy of the top-rated bookmakers.

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RIYADH FALCONS vs OPTIC TEXAS

The reigning world champions, OpTic Texas, had an excellent run during the offseason, winning the Monster Launch Invitational 2026 without any issues.

The only team that caused OpTic issues were Paris Gentle Mates, so it is fair to assume that Riyadh Falcons will have a huge mountain to overcome this Friday.

Despite the roster overhaul, Riyadh Falcons enter the 2026 season with low expectations, namely due to their shaky showings in the pre-season events.

They attended only the Monster Launch Invitational but looked disappointing, with losses to FaZe Vegas and Team WaR.

It is hard to judge a team based on two games, but there is little to suggest that the Falcons can stop the high-flying OpTic.

CAROLINA ROYAL RAVENS vs BOSTON BREACH

Carolina Royal Ravens do not have high expectations for the first stage of the season.

That is mainly due to the arrival of two inexperienced players, Jay “Craze” Malhi and Logan “Lurqxx”. However, the duo did not perform poorly at Monster Launch Invitational 2026, which inspires they will eventually find their place in the big league.

Royal Ravens placed seventh-eighth in the tournament, with defeats against OpTic Texas and Toronto KOI, and two wins against G2 Minnesota and Vancouver Surge.

Boston Breach also featured in the Monster Launch event, but they did not make it far, losing both of their Round 1 games against Cloud9 New York and Vancouver Surge.

In both games, they picked up a Hardpoint map, but looked very weak on Overload and Search & Destroy.

While it is hard to judge teams so early into the season, Boston Breach should not be favored. Despite fielding a more experienced roster, they looked out of sync last month, and until they show some improvement, they are a team to fade.

LOS ANGELES THIEVES vs FAZE VEGAS

Los Angeles Thieves placed seventh-eighth at the Monster Launch Invitational 2026 and got third in Kaysan’s Showdown VIII, with defeats against Gentle Mates and OpTic Texas.

However, in that event, LAT defeated FaZe Vegas 3-1, so it is unsurprising to see the top CoD betting sites pricing them as favorites for the rematch.

Thieves have not had the best start to the year, given their high expectations. But the same can be said for FaZe Vegas, who have gone 3-4 with this roster.

Over that stretch, FaZe have beaten weaker teams, but struggled against tougher opponents, showing they are not at the level of top squads.

Los Angeles Thieves are bound to find success with the players they have – all capable of popping off at any time. The only question is how consistent they can be.

Given FaZe’s slow start to the year, it is fair to say that the right team is favored, even though LA Thieves’ ceiling is still a huge mystery.