The American organization Wildcard has officially fallen out of the Major race. According to the updated Valve Regional Standings (VRS) for the Americas region, the team finished in 14th place (1117 points) — a result that denies them even a slot in the RMR stage of StarLadder Major Budapest 2025.
A string of tournaments: stability without breakthrough
Over the past two months, Wildcard have participated in more than ten regional events, consistently reaching playoff stages but never capturing a major LAN trophy that could have delivered a meaningful boost in Valve’s ranking. Here’s a quick overview of the team’s recent performances:
- Birch Cup 2025 (Sept 26–28) — 2nd place
- PrizePicks NA Revival Series 9 (Sept 13–14) — 2nd place
- ESL Challenger League Season 50 North America Cup 2 (Sept 8–22) — 1st place
- Fragadelphia Fragville 2025 (Sept 6–7) — 3rd place
- PrizePicks NA Revival Series 8 (Aug 16–17) — 2nd place
- Dust2.us Eagle Masters Series 3 (Aug 11–Sept 2) — 3–4th place
- CCT Season 3 North America Series 1 (Aug 7–15) — 2nd place
- Ace NA Masters 2025 Season 2 (Aug 1–3) — Quarterfinals
- PrizePicks NA Revival Series 7 (July 26–27) — 3–4th place
- Thunderpick World Championship 2025 NA Series 2 (July 24–Aug 2) — 2nd place
At first glance, this run seems like a success. However, all of these tournaments belonged to Tier-2 and Tier-3 levels, meaning that the VRS points earned were minimal. Even the victory at the ESL Challenger Cup brought the team fewer than 40 points, not enough to compensate for earlier ranking losses.
Why it wasn’t enough
The main issue for Wildcard was the lack of victories in events that carried heavier VRS weight. After their second-place finish at the Thunderpick World Championship NA Series 2, analysts expected them to secure a top-10 position, but subsequent defeats at Dust2.us Eagle Masters and Fragadelphia Fragville erased that momentum.
The most competitive Americas region in years
Heading into StarLadder Major Budapest 2025, the Americas region has become one of the tightest in Valve’s ranking history. The gap between 8th and 14th place was just 70 points, meaning that a single strong tournament finish could have changed everything. Top 10 Americas before the Major:
- FURIA (1891)
- paiN (1552)
- MIBR (1481)
- Passion UA (1436)
- Legacy (1393)
- Imperial (1357)
- NRG (1262)
- M80 (1261)
- RED Canids (1199)
- Fluxo (1190)
Just outside the list: ODDIK (1180), Sharks (1160), BESTIA (1158), and Wildcard (1117). Once again, the team found itself trapped in a familiar cycle — solid performances, but no defining victory to propel them upward.
What’s next for the team
The organization has already announced plans for a roster rebuild ahead of ESL Challenger League Season 51, where Wildcard aim to regain form and prepare a new lineup for the 2026 qualifiers.
Reports suggest that the club’s management is considering lineup changes and possibly hiring a new coach. The core of stanislaw and F1KU is expected to remain as the foundation for future signings.
A symbolic end to the cycle
Missing the StarLadder Major Budapest 2025 marks a painful yet symbolic close to a transitional year for Wildcard. The team left a visible mark on the regional circuit but failed to break through to the level of top-tier organizations. With FURIA, paiN, and MIBR maintaining dominance, the North American scene continues to evolve, while Wildcard will need to start anew — this time with their sights set on the next Major cycle in 2026.
