BC.Game and BIG Advance to EWC Open Qualifier Playoffs

The EWC open qualifier has seen its first eight teams advance to the playoffs, with notable performances from BC.Game, led by star player Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev, and BIG. Despite an initial setback against BASEMENT BOYS on Nuke, BC.Game rebounded with a decisive 2-1 victory and later faced a less challenging match against the newly signed 1win team.

The qualifier, which features a total of 64 teams competing on LAN in Paris, experienced a delayed start due to technical difficulties but has since progressed without major issues. The next round of matches, involving prominent teams such as 100 Thieves and Liquid, is set to begin shortly in Groups 9-16.

A total of four spots are available for the main event, which boasts a prize pool of $2 million, alongside an additional $100,000 to be distributed among teams finishing in the 5th to 16th positions in the qualifier.

Among the day's surprises, Iberian Soul, recently rebranded after parting ways with Gentle Mates, faced an unexpected defeat to 6666 in the opening round. They will have an opportunity to redeem themselves in a decider match on Saturday after fnatic secured the top spot in their group.

Overall, the favorites have largely maintained their dominance, with eight teams now confirmed for the 32-team playoff bracket, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the qualifier.