CDL Championships opening day headlined by major upsets

The 2025 Call of Duty League Championship kicked off in electrifying fashion, with day one delivering chaos, upsets, and flawless executions that have already flipped the bracket on its head. With all four opening winners’ bracket matches now in the books, the only thing certain heading into day two is that absolutely nothing is off the table.

Let’s break down the opening day’s Call of Duty action in what might go down as one of the most unpredictable starts to a Championship Weekend.

Heretics overpower Surge

The tournament opened with what was expected to be a close but Miami Heretics-favoured showdown. Despite a dominant first map from Vancouver Surge, who looked rejuvenated following a lukewarm Major 4 showing, it was Heretics who turned the tide.

Heretics rallied behind standout performances from David “RenKoR” Isern and Diego “SupeR” Escudero, turning a 0-1 deficit into a commanding 3-1 win. Their Control and closing Hardpoint games were clinical, as Surge’s momentum vanished. Surge now drop to the lower bracket, where a must-win clash awaits.

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  Fast Payouts

Breach upset Championship favourite LA Thieves

The biggest stunner of the day came in match two, as the back-to-back Major winners LA Thieves were stunned by Boston Breach in a five-map thriller. Entering the match as enormous favourites (-2500), the Thieves were expected to brush aside Breach—but Eric “Snoopy” Pérez and Evan “Purj” Perez had other plans.

Breach took both S&D maps and the Control to seal a 3-2 win, leaving Thieves to lick their wounds in the lower bracket. Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez’s shocking 0-7 S&D performance summed up a forgettable series for the number one seed. This marked the first time in CDL history that the top seed has lost their Champs opening match.

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  The bookies' bookie

Ultra defend home ground against Royal Ravens

Toronto Ultra delighted the home crowd with a composed performance over a flat Carolina Royal Ravens side. The Royal Ravens simply couldn’t match Ultra’s tempo, with Jamie “Insight” Craven and Ben “Beans” McMellon putting on a slaying clinic.

Ultra breezed through 3-1, never truly looking threatened, and now advance to a blockbuster second-round clash with OpTic Texas. Meanwhile, Carolina drop into the elimination gauntlet with a huge challenge ahead.

OpTic Texas dominate Atlanta FaZe

The day closed with what was billed as the main event: Atlanta FaZe vs OpTic Texas. While FaZe came in as favourites (-250), OpTic played like a team possessed, completely outclassing their rivals in a blistering 3-0 sweep.

It was domination from start to finish. OpTic didn’t just win—they dismantled their opponents. FaZe looked stunned, struggling to adjust in any of the game modes. The defeat leaves Zachary “Drazah” Jordan and co. staring down the barrel of elimination after just one day, while OpTic head into day two with serious momentum and a date with Toronto Ultra.

CDL Championship day two matches

Day two kicks off with a do-or-die clash between LA Thieves and Vancouver Surge, followed by three more matches that promise just as much drama. With teams like Atlanta FaZe and LA Thieves now in sudden death, CDL Champs 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most explosive finales the league has ever seen.

Below is a list of the Call of Duty League Championship matches for the second day of action, with odds courtesy of the best esports betting sites.

• Vancouver Surge (+350 with BetOnline) vs LA Thieves (-625 with SportsBetting) @ 3pm EDT
• Atlanta FaZe (-2000 with BetOnline) vs Carolina Royal Ravens (+750 with BetOnline) @ 4:30pm EDT
• Miami Heretics (-250 with BetOnline) vs Boston Breach (+175 with SportsBetting) @ 6pm EDT
• OpTic Texas (-200 with BetOnline) vs Toronto Ultra (+150 with BetOnline) @ 7:30pm EDT