The North America League 2025 - Stage 1 playoffs in Rainbow Six Siege are rapidly approaching their conclusion. After intense matches in both upper and lower brackets, the first grand finalist has been determined — DarkZero Esports, who advanced through the upper bracket without losing a single series.

DarkZero on the rise: upper bracket domination

DarkZero have proven their status as serious contenders by confidently making their way to the grand final. Their playoff campaign began with a 2–0 win against Wildcard Gaming in the upper bracket semifinals, and they continued their momentum with a 2–1 victory over Shopify Rebellion in the upper bracket final, played early on July 18 (04:00 EEST). This victory secured them a guaranteed top-2 finish and a spot in the grand final, set to take place on July 20 at 04:00 EEST. It is also worth noting that they were the first to qualify for the Esports World Cup 2025

Shopify drop to lower bracket, Wildcard stay alive

Despite their strong start, Shopify Rebellion fell to DarkZero in the upper final and now await their opponent in the lower bracket final. They will face the winner of the match between M80 and the winner of Wildcard Gaming vs. Oxygen Esports.

Shopify, in turn, also successfully qualified for the Esports World Cup 2025 in second place. The other two slots are still up for grabs.

Wildcard, after dropping to the lower bracket, are still in the fight for the second grand final slot. They are set to play Oxygen Esports in a do-or-die match on July 18 at 21:00 EEST. M80, who lost to Shopify in the upper semifinals, will play against Spacestation Gaming at 23:30 EEST the same night. The winners of these matches will meet in the lower bracket semifinal, scheduled for July 19 at 02:00 EEST, for a chance to challenge Shopify.

What’s at stake

The tournament, organized by Ubisoft and BLAST, carries a prize pool of €125,000 (~$145,000) and features 10 top teams from the North American region. More importantly, strong performances here contribute vital SI Points, crucial for qualifying to the Six Invitational 2026, Rainbow Six Siege’s biggest annual event.

DarkZero’s current run cements them as one of the top teams in North America this season. Meanwhile, Shopify, M80, and Wildcard still have the chance to challenge them in the final — but first, they must battle their way through the brutal lower bracket.