Photo by: ESL
The new season of WarCraft 3 Champions League is just around the corner as the opening match kicks off tomorrow at 20:00 CET with two European teams in action: Alternate aTTaX with its German duo 'ixi' and 'dArk' facing the Ukrainian talented team of nG where the top players like 'Sonik' and 'Sting' are evolving.
Before diving into forecasting the outcome of each group, lets review the new league system established by ESL for this season.
The new layout of the competition consists in two legs. The first one is the groupstage: 24 teams divided into 4 groups of six will struggle for the qualification spots: In each group, the team ranked first will qualify directly, while the teams ranked 2nd and 3rd will fight in a single elimination tournament to grab the remaining spot. This said, two teams will advance from each group, which accounts for 8 teams in total. The next stage is a double elimination tournament at the end of which, the victorious team is crowned champion.
Group A:
Prima facie, two teams are towering above the list in Group A: World Elite with its prodigious trio formed by 'Sky', 'InFi' and 'TED' on the one hand, and MYM devils, starring Korean talent 'ReMinD' on the other hand. Nevertheless, ieS Virtual Gaming won't be an easy opponent for both teams as the roster of the Swiss-based team has undergone a few serious shake-ups. By acquiring 'Myth', 'WinNerS' and 'Sai', the team has tangible chances to advance no matter how. aTTaX team, nG-Gaming and eXpertise are obviously outsiders but the latter has potential to supplant any of the favorite provided that the Chinese starlets play their best.
World Elite   Sky InFi Syc  suhO  LiKe Future  TED Panxiang | eXpertise GuangMo Thank apm7000 GGTry moonfans otaku Revenant boshue | Alternate aTTaX  dArk ixi |
MeetYourMakers  DeMusliM ReMinD Shami LucifroN | ieS Virtual Gaming Myth DreAm Sai townhall WinNers YoM SurnaturaL Rob | nG-Gaming  Frozen NightWOlf Sonik Tresh Sting AcidPsycho- Abver  Rellik |
Group B:
Group B holds last season't runner-up Mousesports with its hefty Orc 'Fly100%' and unpredictable Human star 'TH000', current ESL King of the Hill. Cherry on the pie, the drawing put the strong WeMadeFOX team in the same group, fueling the blaze of the competition for the pole position. The Korean powerhouse, rated as the strongest team of the event in a recent poll carried out by GosuGamers, is without contest a candidate for the title of champion since the Night Elf duet 'Moon' and 'SocceR' can take down any of the participating teams by themselves.
GaB clan has a true potential by lining up 'RohJinWook', 'ThomasG' and 'nicker' and can snap up the third position should they defeat the Russian talents from team Pokeroff and the Polish duo 'Paladyn'-'TeRRoR' from BVG.
All in all, expect to see Foxes and Mice in the tournament brackets unless a setback occurs which is technically possible since the single elimination format when fighting for the 2nd qualification spot doesn't give the chance for the defeated team to redeem itself.
Mousesports TH000 Fly100% HasuObs | n!faculty  EfECt ReiGn Dolorian S.o.K.o.L reLish eXeslY | Geh aB Clan RohJinWook VeryB1gman ThomasG nicker OC- philiwarrior Revolver EnTe anynah |
WeMadeFOX Moon SocceR Sindrum | Team Pokeroff Kas HawK KemPeR JadeDark Please Casper QuAix SDmK KPECT | Betsson Voodoo Gaming Vyfer Paladyn Snake sakura CasiN ValeR Show TeRRoR |
Group C:
In Group C, an East-West confrontation is pending as the European geniuses 'Grubby', 'Ciara' and 'Happy' will lock horns with the Korean line-up of SK-Gaming. Led by the sturdy Orc player 'Lyn', the Eastern squad looks promising and has a patent advantage over the European triplet.
Serious Gaming can still compete with the latter as their roster holds 'DowaQ', one of the best Undeads in Europe and Korean rising Orc 'ViOlet', former 'SK.Lyn' team mate, together with 'RotterdaM' and 'SonKiE'.
iG, sTa and aAa teams have little chances to qualify even if the first team holds excellent players such as 'Rosenkill' and 'sushiLicious'.
Against All Authority mak0z Monster BeNSeN beez ViNCe SyDe Skutt | Infernal Gamers Jacudo Gahh MyWa Crane Naama Rosenkill Serups SushiLicious PzYs | Evil Geniuses Ciara Grubby Happy |
sTA - INT Majestic VoShiX FisT Fhra LuKe Fly Bly Lefy | Serious Gaming SonKiE RotterdaM ViOlet DowaQ | SK-Gaming Check Lyn WhO |
Group D:
The reigning champions from Mojawi Gaming have been drawn in a less competitive group, thus considered as favorites to grab the first place.
Predicting the team who will earn the second place requires a more subtle reasoning as both Raptor Gaming and Millenium have decent chances to qualify.
The German team has recenty boosted its roster by adding former Millenium Orc 'Cash' to their already powerful Swedish squad consisting of 'LiiLD.C', 'KnOfF' and 'ThorZaIN'. On the other hand, the French team of Millenium, despite losing 'Cash' has acquired an impressive line-up, sustained by the Human prodigy 'ToD' together with the young rising star 'Stephano' and the best Night Elves from France: 'hG', 'Wolf' and 'PsYkO'. With 'yAwS' and 'hanf' in the roster, mTw can also cause some trouble to the aforementioned teams. But x6tence and KoD are less likely to upset.
Mojawi Gaming Kei Shy FoCuS Space | x6tence  SworD Yange DeloreX Aca Scota VortiX DeMiGoD | Keepers of Destruction CrunCher strifecro Sasuke MiNiMuM PLaZMaTiC capu Boo Axslav |
Millenium ToD Stephano Wolf PsYkO hG KleeneX YoGo | Raptor Gaming ThorZaIN Miou LiiLD.C KnOfF Cash | Mortal Teamwork TastyLeon yAwS hanf Eric NightEnD |
*N.B. Highlighted players are captains of their respective teams.
Links
GosuGamers.net - Bet on the opening match: BVG vs Poff
GosuGamers.net - WC3L XVI Playday 1 Coverage