TL;DR
- StarLadder Berlin Major field complete with 24 teams across Challengers and Legends stages
- Team Vitality leads Challengers as strongest contender with recent tournament victories
- Liquid enters as championship favorite despite strong competition from Astralis and ENCE
- Roster rule changes enabled MiBR and Ninjas in Pyjamas participation
- Tournament begins August 23 with intense competition expected across all stages

The competitive landscape for the StarLadder Berlin Major has been completely established with all participating squads confirmed.
North, HellRaisers, and INTZ Esports successfully navigated the Third-Place Play-In to secure their positions, while MVP.PK fell just short in their qualification attempt. These three organizations join an already impressive roster of qualifier champions that features elite competitors including Furia Esports, NRG Esports, and Mousesports, alongside regional powerhouses TyLoo and ForZe.
Although the play-in format typically admits only two teams into major tournaments, INTZ capitalized on Cloud9’s ongoing organizational difficulties. The renowned esports franchise will be absent from this major after undergoing significant roster restructuring following their IEM Katowice Major campaign.
With Cloud9 eliminated from contention, only five squads maintained their Challenger designation from the previous Katowice event, each demonstrating varying degrees of competitive success in the intervening period.
Team Vitality stands out as the most formidable competitor in the Challengers bracket. The French roster has consistently ranked among the world’s top five teams recently, capturing championship titles at prestigious competitions like the ECS Season 7 Finals and CS Summit 4. They represent a genuine threat to claim the major championship and could potentially advance through this initial phase with an unblemished 3-0 record.
Avangar and G2 Esports also return from the Katowice Challengers group, though their trajectories have diverged significantly. Avangar showed immediate promise post-Katowice but has since experienced performance decline, while G2 currently rides a wave of competitive momentum. CompLexity Gaming and HellRaisers confront substantial challenges due to recent lineup adjustments that have disrupted team chemistry.
The qualification process introduced eleven additional teams to the competitive field. Mousesports and CR4ZY emerged victorious from the European Minor, Grayhound Gaming and TyLoo dominated the Asian circuit, NRG Esports and Furia Esports conquered the Americas Minor, while ForZe and Syman Gaming prevailed in the CIS regional competition.
Substantial uncertainty surrounded roster eligibility regulations for Legend-status teams returning from IEM Katowice Major, though all issues were ultimately resolved satisfactorily.
Astralis, Renegades, ENCE Esports, and Team Liquid all maintain identical player lineups from their previous major appearance. FaZe Clan and Natus Vincere implemented single roster additions to their respective squads.
Ninjas in Pyjamas secured a capable replacement for Nicolas “Plopski” Gonzalez Zamora in Maikil “Golden” Selim, following initial confusion regarding Plopski’s major eligibility status. Ultimately, a last-minute rule modification by tournament organizers StarLadder permitted MiBR to compete despite experiencing an extended separation from one of their key players.
Liquid enters the championship as statistical favorites based on recent performances, though they face formidable opposition from several elite squads. Astralis possesses legitimate opportunity to secure their fourth major title despite encountering recent competitive hurdles, while both ENCE and Vitality have demonstrated the capability to defeat Liquid in previous encounters.
The New Challengers Stage of the StarLadder Berlin Major commences competitive action on August 23, setting the stage for what promises to be an intensely contested championship event featuring the world’s premier Counter-Strike organizations.
Action Checklist
- Track Challengers Stage matches beginning August 23 for early tournament insights
- Monitor Team Vitality’s performance as they attempt a 3-0 Challengers run
- Analyze Liquid vs Astralis potential matchups for championship implications
- Watch for roster adaptation strategies from teams with recent lineup changes
- Evaluate stand-in player performances, particularly Golden with Ninjas in Pyjamas
No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » StarLadder Berlin Major team lineup set after third-place play-in Complete guide to StarLadder Berlin Major teams, qualification paths, and championship contenders
