Not Today are in the opening game of the Canada Cup 4 group stages against ROOT Gaming who are expected to field an experimental new lineup against the Peruvians. The remaining three groups are due to begin over the next week and a half.
The first group of Canada Cup Season 4 begins today with all four teams in action, including the first matches for Peruvian team Not Today and a rumoured brand new ROOT Gaming lineup that includes all five members from amateur team The Better JUSTICE League. The rumoured new roster last played together in the CEVO Season 6 group stage on February 5th and currently sit in 8th place. While it's not officially confirmed that this is the new roster for the team, current ROOT Gaming member Jean-Christophe 'UrBoyJC' Leclerc is registered in the Justice roster on CEVO's website. Completing the four team group are Void Boy, who placed third in December's Battle of America 2 and currently unranked team Lacresha. The final games of the group stage will take place at 04:00 CET on February 13th, where the top two teams will progress into the playoffs.
Group B is due to begin tomorrow with a group including the winners of Battle of America 2 Wheel Whreck While Whistling, controversial Peruvian team Union Gaming, former-Inphinity Stack roster eHug and Argentinian team Isurus Gaming. Union Gaming came under fire from Mike 'ixmike88' Ghannam in August last year with accusations of cheating during pauses and were more recently given a 25% monetary fine after winning the final of January's Dota Regions. The team were judged to have unpaused while opponents eHug weren't ready resulting in a first blood for the offenders. The teams will rematch in their Group B match on February 12th at 04:00 CET.
The remaining two groups includes the two qualifying teams Ape Zone and Black Sheep! as well as compLexity Gaming, Leviathan, paiN Gaming and the new roster for FIRE. The recent StarLadder XI attendees have gone through some big roster changes with Tyler 'TC' Cook, ixmike88 and Ioannis 'Fogged' Loucas all leaving the team. Their new lineup that includes Jimmy 'DeMoN' Ho, Braxton 'Brax' Paulson and Sebastien '7ckngMad' Debs will be in action beginning on February 18th at 02:45 CET. The 16 teams are competing for a prize pool of $7000, with a grand final victory worth $4250.
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