NRG Esports NRG Esports North America Rank #1 FiNESSE Pujan Mehta s0m Sam Oh Verno Andrew Maust mada Adam Pampuch Ethan Ethan Arnold and The Guard The Guard Inactive JonahP Jonah Pulice trent Trent Cairns neT Michael Bernet valyn Jacob Batio tex Ian Botsch have advanced to the group stage of North America Stage 1: Challengers through the first open qualifier's lower bracket.

They join six other teams who have already qualified for the group stage. Version1 Version1 Inactive and XSET XSET Inactive qualified yesterday through the upper bracket. Four other teams — Cloud9 Cloud9 North America Rank #7 Xeppaa Erick Bach v1c Victor Truong mitch Mitch Semago neT Michael Bernet OXY Francis Hoang , Sentinels Sentinels North America Rank #4 N4RRATE Marshall Massey bang Sean Bezerra Zellsis Jordan Montemurro zekken Zachary Patrone johnqt Mohamed Amine Ouarid , 100 Thieves 100 Thieves North America Rank #6 zander Alexander Dituri Cryocells Matthew Panganiban eeiu Daniel Vucenovic Boostio Kelden Pupello Asuna Peter Mazuryk , and Envy Envy Inactive Marved Jimmy Nguyen Victor Victor Wong crashies Austin Roberts FiNESSE Pujan Mehta yay Jaccob Whiteaker — received direct invites.

The Guard rebounded from a 2-0 defeat at the hands of XSET the day before, sweeping Akrew Akrew Inactive gucc107 Andrew Gutnichenko Neon Austin Hedge Paincakes Jake Hass jovahnii Jovanni Miramontes ZachaREEE Zachary Lombardo in two maps to secure a place in the Challengers group stage. It will mark their first appearance in a Challengers main event.

NRG also came back from a defeat to XSET the day before, falling to them a round earlier than The Guard did. NRG defeated Pioneers Pioneers Inactive jmoh Jason Mohandessi wedid Matthew Suchan thief Brady Dever Critical Tristan Trinacty 2-1 immediately afterwards to put themselves two matches away from the group stage heading into Sunday.

The team started the day with a 2-0 over Knights Knights Inactive before heading into the deciding match against Rise Rise Inactive , who were playing in their second consecutive qualification match. NRG handled Rise with back-to-back 13-3 victories to coast into the group stage.

Rise, Akrew, and the rest of the North American teams who fell short will have one more opportunity to qualify for the Challengers group stage. The final four spots will be determined next week in the second open qualifier.