Ninjas in Pyjamas will play at the Thunderpick World Championship after Virtus.pro withdrew from the event. The organizer has also revealed the opening matchups for the $1,000,000 tournament, which runs from October 14-18.
This is interesting for two reasons. First, NIP receive a late call-up and will face Falcons, the highest-seeded team, in their very first match. Second, the group stage already promises strong games, with a returning player and a busy FURIA schedule adding extra storylines.
Why Virtus.pro Left the Event
Virtus.pro had earned their place through the Closed Qualifier. However, two issues forced the team to pull out. Aleksandr “AquaRS” Kovalev ran into visa problems. In addition, Dias “F0R3VER” Kutubay had health reasons that led him to step back from the active lineup for now.
How NIP Got the Spot
Thunderpick’s rulebook explains how replacements work. Normally, the next eligible team in the VRS that accepts an invite takes the empty slot. In this case, though, the withdrawal came within 20 days of the event’s start. Therefore, the replacement had to come from the next eligible team in the host region, which is Europe. As a result, Ninjas in Pyjamas replace Virtus.pro.
Format and Opening Matches
The tournament takes place in Malta. Two best-of-three GSL groups will send four teams through to a single-elimination playoffs bracket. The bracket ends with a third-place decider and a best-of-five grand final.
Falcons open their run against Ninjas in Pyjamas. Their group also includes 9z and Aurora. In Group B, Legacy meet PARIVISION, while FURIA start their event against BETBOOM. The opening matchups are:
- 9z vs Aurora – 10:30 CEST
- Falcons vs NIP – 13:00 CEST
- Legacy vs PARIVISION – 15:30 CEST
- FURIA vs BetBoom Team – 18:00 CEST
What to Expect Next
According to Thunderpick’s announcement, the World Championship now has its final field and its first matches. NIP step in on short notice and immediately face the top seed, Falcons. Finally, with Legacy against PARIVISION and FURIA against BETBOOM also on the opening schedule, the group stage in Malta starts with several matches worth watching.
