Valve has updated the rules for determining regional slots at majors. Now, it seems, slots will be distributed not based on players' nationalities or their passports, but on the "residency" of teams in specific regions.

This means that teams spending most of the season physically in Europe will be considered representatives of the European region. Under such conditions, teams like Liquid, FURIA, or The MongolZ could be included if they are based in Europe.

A new step to combat abuses

It appears the change is aimed at preventing potential "abuses" of the system. Teams that competed in regions where they are not actually based, like Liquid, M80, or Wildcard, may now face stricter checks. However, the rule is unlikely to be rigid and will likely apply to individual cases to ensure fair competition.

Improvement for other regions?

This update might lead to an increase in tournaments outside of Europe, which could positively affect less represented regions such as America and Asia. However, Valve's official statements remain rather vague, and the consequences of the new rule are still not fully understood.