2023 Challengers NA: TSM, G2, FaZe and 3 other recieve invites

The names of six Valorant teams that have been invited to take part in the NA Challengers League 2023 have been revealed by the tournament’s organizer, Knights Arena. 

After much anticipation, the tournament organizer, Knights Arena, finally revealed the list of invited teams for the NA Challengers League 2023, Valorant’s tier-two competition. Popular organizations like TSM, G2 Esports, FaZe Clan, The Guard, and Shopify Rebellion received direct invitations from the organizers. The sixth invited team, M80 Esports, is a newcomer assembled by Marco Mereu, co-founder of XSET.

The regular season of the Challengers League will feature twelve teams, six of which have already been invited. The top four teams in the Open Qualifier, which will take place from January 9 to 13, will fill the remaining four seats, with the final two spots being decided by the Last Chance Qualifiers.

A chance for ascension is up next:

The NA Challengers League is building up to be a thrilling event as a number of talented players and major organizations vie for promotion to the international league. The top two teams from the NA Challengers will qualify for the Ascension tournament, which will be held from May 31 to June 10, 2023. These two teams will compete alongside those that advanced from the Challengers Leagues of other regions. The winner of the Ascension event will receive a two-year spot in the VCT Americas League, starting in 2024.

Five of the six invited teams were turned down earlier for the partnership with Riot Games to take part in the North American International League. However, Riot appears to be finally rewarding the efforts of G2, FaZe, TSM, Guard, and Shopify Rebellion, granting them a chance to qualify for the International league through the Ascension event. The lone exception to this list is M80 Esports, a brand-new esports organization founded by Marco Mereu.

M80, G2 Esports, and TSM’s rosters are locked and loaded

Marco Mereu has assembled a strong roster for the Challenge League that includes former players of NRG, Version 1, and Ghost Gaming. TSM has also revealed its roster for the Challengers League. The organization has parted ways with Yassine “Subroza” Taoufik, one of the mainstays of the team over the past two years.

To fill his spot, the TSM has acquired the veteran IGL James ‘hazed’ Cobb, who is returning to the organization after a brief spell with NRG. Several other prominent organizations like G2 and M80 have also announced their rosters for the Challengers League, and more announcements are anticipated as the open qualifications draw near.

Header: Riot Games