The second stage of the Shanghai Major is about to start. Only 16 of the original 24 teams are left in the race and almost every single match will be a clash of titans.
CS2 has numerous excellent teams at the moment and only eight of them will advance to the playoffs. Most of the favorites are known, but since this is a Major, anything can happen.
The 16 Competitors
Here are the teams that will play in the Elimination Stage of the Shanghai Major:
- G2 Esports
- Natus Vincere
- Team Vitality
- Team Spirit
- MOUZ
- FaZe Clan
- HEROIC
- 3DMAX
- The MongolZ
- Team Liquid
- GamerLegion
- FURIA Esports
- PaiN Gaming
- Wildcard
- BIG
- MIBR
Normally, you would think that the top eight teams on the list, because they weren’t required to participate in stage 1, are all favorites. But that’s not the case. Spirit, HEROIC, 3DMAX, and even FaZe Clan could falter.
Meanwhile, The MongolZ and Team Liquid, who looked very strong in stage 1, could easily qualify for stage 2. Even if they do it with a 3 W – 2 L result, their odds of success are high.
Opening Matches
Here are the eight opening matches of the Elimination Stage:
- G2 Esports vs. The MongolZ
- Natus Vincere vs. Team Liquid
- Team Vitality vs. GamerLegion
- Team Spirit vs. FURIA Esports
- MOUZ vs. paiN Gaming
- FaZe Clan vs. Wildcard
- HEROIC vs. BIG
- 3DMAX vs. MIBR
It’s a bit strange to see G2 Esports and Natus Vincere, who are currently ranked as the number 2 and number 1 teams in the world, competing against the strongest teams from stage 1 in the opening round.
In general, organizers try to give the top teams the highest chance of winning their first match by giving them the weakest opponents. But in this particular case, we see the opposite principle being applied. Meanwhile, 3DMAX and MIBR will have a relatively easy start.
