ESL Challenger Melbourne qualifiers set to begin

The qualification process for ESL Challenger Melbourne will begin tomorrow with the first open qualifier. This will then be followed up by the second open qualifiers in the days after and finally the closed qualifier. The invites for the closed qualifier have also been announced this morning.

Already waiting in the closed qualifier are ATK and Evil Geniuses' PA roster where they will be joined by a single team from each of the open qualifiers. There they will play in a BO3 double-elimination bracket for the single spot at the main event group stage in Melbourne, taking place in early September.

ATK look to be the clear favourites to take the spot in Melbourne, having most-recently placed second in ESL Challenger League on top of winning the two most recent ESEA Cash Cups. On the other hand EG.PA have recently been to Europe for the Pinnacle Cup Championship as a pseudo-bootcamp, so they may bring home some European tactics and outshine the competition.

The open qualifiers, 7-8th and 9-10th July respectively, will feature the standard BO1 single elimination bracket with a BO3 match to decide the team which makes it to the closed qualifier. The open qualifiers currently do not have many teams signed up although some notable names that already have include oNe and Gaimin Gladiators.