Valve have released the official March 9, 2026 VRS update, and the race toward the April cutoff that will determine Major invitations is entering its decisive phase. With only weeks remaining before the ranking snapshot that will lock in invites, every movement inside the Top 30 now carries enormous strategic weight.
Several teams made dramatic jumps this week thanks to strong performances at ESL Pro League Season 23 and regional events. At the same time, a number of teams dropped sharply after weak results, inactivity, or unexpected losses against lower-ranked opponents.
The middle of the ranking — positions 15 through 35 — is becoming the most volatile zone of the entire VRS system.
When and How the Ranking Updates
Valve updates the official VRS ranking once per month, on the first Monday. This ranking determines:
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Direct invites to Tier-1 tournaments
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Qualification pathways
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Seeding priority
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Major invitation slots
Between official updates, rankings can be recalculated by third parties, but only the monthly Valve release determines invitations. The April update will serve as the Major invitation cutoff, meaning every LAN result in March now carries enormous competitive value.
Legacy
Legacy produced the biggest jump of the week. During ESL Pro League Season 23, the team secured several important wins against higher-ranked opponents, including a victory over NAVI. That single win alone generated around +30 VRS points, illustrating how valuable victories against stronger teams can be in the system. These results allowed Legacy to climb dramatically in the ranking and re-enter the competitive mid-table battle.
paiN
paiN experienced a similar rise to Legacy. Strong results against higher-ranked opponents allowed them to climb from 34th to 27th place in the global ranking. The VRS system rewards wins against stronger teams heavily, and paiN’s recent performances translated directly into ranking growth.
BIG
BIG had a productive week competitively. The team won NODWIN Clutch Series 5 and also reached the semifinals of the Stake Ranked Episode 1 closed qualifiers. Although they eventually lost in the qualifier stage, the accumulated results were enough to push the team upward in the ranking.
9z
9z continue to dominate the South American scene. The team has now won multiple LAN tournaments in Brazil, including BetBoom Circuit X Pantanal Cuiabá 2026. These results pushed them to 19th place in the global VRS ranking. At the start of 2026 the team had no VRS ranking at all after losing the previous roster core and effectively restarting their points accumulation. Now they are already inside the Top 20. At the moment, 9z are the main contenders for the second Americas Major slot, which grants a direct invitation to Stage 2 of the Major.
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3DMAX
3DMAX had been struggling for most of the past month, with disappointing results across several events. However, victories during ESL Pro League Season 23 allowed them to recover some ground and climb slightly in the ranking. Still, their current position is unlikely to be enough for Major qualification. To remain in contention, they will need strong results at upcoming Tier-2 LAN events.
NRG
NRG suffered one of the biggest drops in the ranking after finishing 0–3 at ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1. Following their elimination, the team did not play additional matches during the ranking window. In the VRS system, inactivity during an active period often leads to ranking loss as other teams accumulate points.
Liquid
Liquid experienced a similar decline to NRG. The team suffered several losses against opponents ranked below them, which the VRS system penalizes heavily. In a tightly packed mid-table ranking zone, even a few weak results can quickly push a team downward.
Passion UA
Passion UA also lost ground this week. After being eliminated from ESL Pro League, the team suffered a damaging loss against FOKUS, a team ranked 184th in the VRS, during the Stake Ranked Episode 1 Closed Qualifier. That single defeat cost them roughly 30 VRS points, immediately pushing the team down the ranking.
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FlyQuest
FlyQuest played very few matches during this ranking period. Their only matches came on March 9, where they split the results — one win and one loss. However, the loss came against a lower-ranked opponent, which caused the team to drop two positions in the ranking. In a compressed ranking environment, even a single unfavorable result can have visible consequences.
Valve Global Ranking – March 9, 2026
- 1st place Vitality – 2029 (0)
- 2nd place (up from 3rd) MOUZ – 1899 (+13)
- 3rd place (down from 2nd) FURIA – 1833 (–60)
- 4th place (up from 5th) Falcons – 1827 (–15)
- 5th place (down from 4th) PARIVISION – 1788 (–85)
- 6th place Spirit – 1783 (+6)
- 7th place Aurora – 1694 (–13)
- 8th place Natus Vincere – 1648 (–38)
- 9th place The MongolZ – 1646 (+30)
- 10th place Astralis – 1586 (–2)
- 11th place G2 – 1586 (–1)
- 12th place (up from 14th) FUT – 1559 (+29)
- 13th place GamerLegion – 1543 (+8)
- 14th place (down from 12th) FaZe – 1517 (–35)
- 15th place HEROIC – 1489 (+14)
- 16th place (up from 27th) Legacy – 1489 (+139)
- 17th place Monte – 1472 (+43)
- 18th place (down from 15th) Gentle Mates – 1470 (–6)
- 19th place (up from 25th) 9z – 1462 (+80)
- 20th place (up from 24th) 3DMAX – 1434 (+37)
- 21st place BetBoom – 1421 (+4)
- 22nd place B8 – 1420 (+16)
- 23rd place MIBR – 1414 (+7)
- 24th place (up from 30th) BIG – 1404 (+64)
- 25th place HOTU – 1400 (–1)
- 26th place (down from 17th) NRG – 1393 (–41)
- 27th place (up from 34th) paiN – 1381 (+73)
- 28th place illwill – 1379 (+10)
- 29th place Sharks – 1370 (+49)
- 30th place K27 – 1367 (+60)
- 31st place SINNERS – 1338 (0)
- 32nd place 100 Thieves – 1338 (+32)
- 33rd place BC.Game – 1338 (+7)
- 34th place M80 – 1332 (–12)
- 35th place (down from 23rd) Liquid – 1332 (–68)
- 36th place Ninjas in Pyjamas – 1328 (–21)
- 37th place Alliance – 1324 (–21)
- 38th place ECSTATIC – 1293 (–17)
- 39th place Nemiga – 1289 (+6)
- 40th place (down from 36th) FlyQuest – 1274 (–33)
- 41st place (down from 42nd) 9INE – 1265 (+40)
- 42nd place WHITEBIRD – 1261 (+41)
- 43rd place magic – 1249 (+48)
- 44th place (down from 39th) Passion UA – 1245 (–43)
- 45th place (down from 41st) fnatic – 1232 (–6)
- 46th place Nuclear TigRES – 1232 (+32)
- 47th place Nemesis – 1230 (–30)
- 48th place Betclic – 1217 (+53)
- 49th place RED Canids – 1216 (+14)
- 50th place Imperial – 1215 (+17)
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One Month to Decide Everything
The March ranking confirms one key trend: the middle of the VRS table is tightening rapidly. While the top of the ranking remains relatively stable, teams between 15th and 35th place are now entering the most dangerous phase of the season. With only one official update remaining before the April cutoff, every LAN in March carries real consequences. A deep run can secure a Major slot. A weak qualifier or a single upset loss can push a team out of contention. The race for Major invitations is no longer approaching — it has already begun.
