ESL has revealed the invite list for the upcoming ESL One Rio CS:GO Minor closed qualifiers. The qualifiers will determine which teams advance to the regional Minors, where the two best teams from each region will qualify for the ESL One Rio Major. The open qualifiers for this Major cycle have already begun, with the first European and North American qualifiers kicking off today.

Counter-Strike Major cycles begin with a rigorous qualification circuit, starting with the regional Minors’ open qualifiers. The represented regions host between two and four open qualifiers, each of which award two spots in that region’s respective Minor closed qualifier. Depending on the region, up to eight teams will advance from the closed qualifier to the ESL One Rio Minor tournaments. Two squads from each regional Minor will earn a spot in the Rio Major’s Challengers Stage. The ESL One Rio Major is set to begin on May 11th, and will be the first CS:GO Major to take place in South America.

Eight teams have been invited to the European, North American, and CIS Minor closed qualifiers. The remaining regions, which include South America, Southeast Asia, and China, among others, invite only four teams. ESL states that the invitees were determined through a mix of their own World Rankings, other ranking lists, and recent results. 

Invites for the ESL One Rio European Minor closed qualifier include:

  • Fnatic Ninjas in Pyjamas Heroic MAD Lions GODSENT OG Movistar Riders Team Heretics

North America:

  • FURIA Cloud9 eUnited New Identity Gen.G Riot Squad Triumph Chaos Esports Club

CIS:

  • ForZe Team Spirit Hard Legion Gambit Esports Syman Gaming Pro100 HellRaisers Winstrike

South America:

  • INTZ Esports DETONA Isurus Gaming Sharks Esports

Oceania:

  • Renegades ORDER AVANT ex-Genuine Gaming

East Asia:

  • AUGUST MVP PK Absolute Mazaalai

China:

  • TyLoo Vici Gaming Rising-Stars Lynn Vision

Southeast Asia:

  • Bren BTRG Lucid Dream Alpha Red

Middle East:

  • NASR Yalla Og3od Goliath

The first Southeast Asia and Greater China open qualifiers begin on February 1st, while the first CIS and South American qualifiers will start on the 2nd. The first Oceania open qualifier will begin on February 8th, and the initial East Asian and Middle East open qualifiers are scheduled for February 15th. The ESL One Rio Minor closed qualifiers will begin on March 3rd, and will run until March 8th.

Source: ESL