ESEA Advanced S49 playoffs set to start tonight

ESEA Advanced Season 49 playoffs are set to start tonight, with 24 NA teams vying for spots in ESL Challenger League next season along with a $7,000 top prize. The playoff bracket marks the culmination of the two-month league which contains a mix of hopeful newcomers looking to climb the ladder in NA, familiar faces who look to find their old glory, and Brazilian émigré who aim to dominate the NA semi-pros.

The first seed for the playoffs was surprisingly claimed by an NA squad, with Perseverance finishing just ahead of Legacy thanks to a slightly better Buchholz score. While this is unlikely to affect Legacy too much, it may force them to face slightly stronger NA teams as they look to dominate in their first season of NA Advanced.

Other notable international teams in Advanced playoffs for this season include all-Ukrainian squad Lore and the Mongolian core of G3. Additionally, E-Xolos LAZER made their way into the playoffs after a 10-4 season. Snakes Den and Villainous also have a mix of European and Asian players although they are all regulars to the NA scene.

Looking at NA teams, Peter "ptr" Gurney's Retirement Home is a squad worth paying attention to due to their mix of experienced players. Unjustified are in a similar boat as Mitch "glorinsz" MacInnis, Daniel "roca" Gustaferri, and Alexander "LeX" Deily look to return to ECL after a number of years.

Strife are also a team worth following due to their level of experience and time together as a team, with them being favorites to make their way into Relegation after finishing Season 48 in second place.

The complete team list for ESEA Advanced Season 49 playoffs is as follows:

Matches are set to begin tonight at, with E-Xolos LAZER taking on OutGoing at 07:30PM, while the remaining matches will start at 09:30PM.