South America League 2025 — Stage 1 — the South American league featuring 5 partner teams participating in the R6 Share program, along with 3 affiliated teams that were previously part of this program. Additionally, 2 teams qualified through the Challenger Series. The league will run from June 14 to July 26, with the top 4 teams receiving direct invitations to the Esports World Cup 2025. Let's take a look at the format, opening matches, and teams to watch.

Format

South America League 2025 — Stage 1 will take place from June 14 to July 26 and will consist of two phases:

• Group Stage: 10 teams will compete in a Bo1 format. Points will be awarded for wins in regular time, overtime wins, and overtime losses. No points will be given for losses in regular time. After this stage, the teams in 1st and 2nd place will advance directly to the playoff semifinals. Teams in 3rd to 6th place will enter the quarterfinals. Teams in 7th to 10th place will exit the tournament.
• Playoffs: This stage will be a Double Elimination format. The top 2 from the group will start in the semifinals, while teams in 3rd to 6th place will start in the quarterfinals. Matches are expected to be in a Bo3 format (TBD). The top four teams from the playoffs will receive invitations to the Esports World Cup 2025.

The prize pool distribution is known only for the top 6 teams. Additionally, the top 5 teams will earn SI Points, which will be considered in the season ranking. By the end of the season, the 11 teams with the most points will receive direct invitations to the Six Invitational 2026:

• 1st place - €25,000 + 300 SI Points
• 2nd place - €16,250 + 150 SI Points
• 3rd place - €13,750 + 50 SI Points
• 4th place - €11,850 + 50 SI Points
• 5th place - €11,250 + 50 SI Points
• 6th place - €10,650 + 0 SI Points
• 7th place - €10,000 + 0 SI Points
• 8th-10th place - €8,750 + 0 SI Points

Opening Matches

• FaZe Clan (1.12) vs ENX (5.30)
• LOUD (1.17) vs 9z Team (4.40)
• FURIA (1.12) vs LOS (5.30)
• Black Dragons (2.00) vs Ninjas in Pyjamas (1.72)
• Team Liquid (1.88) vs w7m esports (1.82)

Odds provided by Stake.com and are current at the time of publication.

Main Favorites

Two teams stand out as the main contenders for advancing to the playoff semifinals and securing a direct spot at the Esports World Cup — FURIA, FaZe, and w7m. FURIA are the reigning champions of RE:L0:AD 2025, where they lost only one map in the Bo1 format during the group stage. Additionally, the team placed third at the Six Invitational 2025, making them the undisputed favorite to win the current league and secure a spot at the EWC. FaZe are the winners of the Six Invitational 2025, although they performed poorly at RE:L0:AD 2025 and failed to advance from the group stage. Despite this, the team remains one of the strongest in the region and is undoubtedly among the favorites for a semifinal spot and a slot battle. w7m displayed consistent and powerful gameplay at RE:L0:AD 2025: the team confidently passed the group stage without a single map loss, and in the playoffs, they eliminated Falcons and only fell to the eventual champions — FURIA.

Contenders

Among the teams capable of making it to the playoffs and competing for a spot at the Esports World Cup are LOUD and Liquid. LOUD, recently joining the R6 Share program, made a strong impression at RE:L0:AD 2025. The team confidently took first place in their group, defeating Falcons — an experienced roster with world champions. In the playoffs, LOUD only lost to FURIA, the future tournament champions, which doesn't diminish the strength of their performance. Liquid have yet to show consistency: they didn't advance from the group at RE:L0:AD 2025 and finished only 13th-16th at the Six Invitational. However, it's important to note that shortly before RE:L0:AD, they lost two key players. After the tournament, the roster was joined by two new players, and while it's unclear how this will affect the outcome, Liquid still has the potential to make the top 4.

Dark Horses

Teams that could either surprise and secure a spot or remain outside the playoffs include Black Dragons and Ninjas in Pyjamas. Black Dragons failed to qualify for the Six Invitational 2025, losing in the decisive match. However, in early May, the roster underwent significant changes — the team signed four new players, making it difficult to assess their current form. Ninjas in Pyjamas have not participated in major international tournaments since late 2024. Their last performance was 5th-6th place at the BR Premier Finals 2024 and 6th place at the Brazil League 2024 — Stage 2. The roster has a new rookie and changes in the coaching staff, making their performance unpredictable.

Underdogs

The trio of teams that will find it particularly challenging to advance from the group and compete for slots at the Esports World Cup are 9z Team, LOS, and ENX. 9z Team returns to the scene with a revamped roster, but their last tournament participation dates back to 2023. It's entirely unclear what this roster is capable of and whether they can compete with top teams like FaZe, FURIA, and w7m. LOS, who qualified for the league through the Challenger Series, took second place and have yet to prove they can handle the high level of play in the region. The potential is there, but there are more questions than answers. ENX, who defeated LOS in the final of the same series and qualified for the SAL league through open qualifiers, also represent a "dark horse" with a positive sign. Making it this far is an achievement, but over the course of the tournament, the chances of competing for a slot at the EWC seem minimal.

South America League 2025 — Stage 1 kicks off one of the most action-packed stages of the season in Latin America. Here, decorated champions clash with emerging teams just starting their journey on the elite stage. FaZe, FURIA, and w7m are the undisputed favorites, each with their own history of victories and ambitions for the Esports World Cup. Behind them are ambitious contenders like LOUD and Liquid, while NiP and Black Dragons are ready to jump into the race for the top 4. Teams that have come through the Challenger Series, such as LOS and ENX, as well as the revamped 9z Team, are unlikely to fight for the top — but it's in their matches that surprises may arise. In a format where every result matters, even one misstep could cost a place on the international stage.