The Six Invitational 2025 is one of the biggest Rainbow Six Siege tournaments. The best teams from around the world will compete to become champions. To help fans understand the competition, Davide "FoxA" Bucci, a well-known R6 pro and Six Invitational 2025 analyst, shared his tier list ranking the teams.

In this interview with bo3.gg, FoxA explains which teams have the best chances to win, which ones are strong contenders, and which teams might struggle. He also talks about key matchups, standout players, and how different teams play. If you want a simple breakdown of how teams compare before the tournament, this tier list gives a great overview.

What excites you the most about this tournament? Obviously, it’s a celebration of R6, but maybe you are looking forward to some particular events?

The most exciting part of the Invitational is that it’s the biggest event of the year for Siege. It’s where you get the best competition, and it’s the longest tournament we have. From a fan perspective, it’s always the biggest event. Last year’s Brazil Invitational will be hard to top with 15,000 people in the stadium, but Boston and the North American crowd are always very entertaining. There are a lot of familiar faces around. As for the teams, I’m really looking forward to seeing how the new North American rosters match up against other regions. This past season, NA teams have gotten much stronger, and I think we are seeing the best versions of them in a long time.

Tier List

Before discussing the groups, let’s create a tier list. We’ll make a visual representation of your choices along with your commentary. It will be a personal tier list based on your opinions from this interview.

Sounds good.

Let’s define the tiers:

• S-Tier: The favorites to win the whole tournament.
• A-Tier: Strong contenders.
• B-Tier: Middle-ground teams, competitive but not favorites.
• C-Tier: Dark horses, teams that could surprise.
• D-Tier: Teams that are unlikely to make a deep run in the tournament.

Let’s start with the S-Tier. Which teams do you think have the best chance of making it to the final and winning the tournament?

For S-Tier, I’d put FaZe, W7M, and BDS. Maybe FURIA as well. I also think Shopify Rebellion could be in S-Tier.

I recently interviewed FURIA and asked if they consider themselves favorites. FelipoX told me that they don’t see themselves that way. What do you think about that?

That makes sense. This is the first time in a while that FURIA has looked vulnerable. I hope that after losing a few events, they find new motivation to push for the win. At the end of the day, they are still FURIA, and they won almost everything in 2023. You always have to give them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to reaching the main stage. Whether they can win it all is another question.

You mentioned BDS as an S-Tier team. What makes them stand out from the rest of the European scene?

From a North American perspective, European teams are very structured, slow, and predictable. They take their time, and that makes them easier to counter. However, BDS is different. While they have strong teamwork and structure, they also have an aggressive playstyle. G2 does something similar, but BDS executes it better and more consistently.

Since picking up Solotov and UUNO, BDS has gained even more firepower. Any player on that team can pop off at any moment. They have the discipline of a European team but can also play like a Brazilian squad—fast and aggressive. That combination makes them the most consistent European team right now.

You also placed Shopify Rebellion in the S-Tier. What makes you so confident about them?

Shopify Rebellion’s performance in Stage 2 was impressive, and I think their ceiling is very high. At the Montreal Major, they made the main stage but lost to FaZe in the quarterfinals. Even though they didn’t go further, you could see their potential.

Since Canadian joined the team, they have looked much stronger. He was a great IGL on DarkZero, but DarkZero played a slow, methodical style. Now, on Shopify Rebellion, he has a more aggressive team, which suits him better. Aggression is the hardest thing to master because it’s unpredictable, but it’s exciting to see what the best IGL in NA can do with this roster.

With more time together, this team will only improve. Players like Surf and Ambi are still developing, and their potential is huge. That’s why I think Shopify Rebellion is a real threat.

Now, let’s move on to A-Tier teams. You’ve already placed FaZe, FURIA, Shopify Rebellion, W7M, and BDS in S-Tier. Which teams belong in A-Tier?

I’d say A-Tier teams are Liquid, DarkZero, and Virtus.pro.

Let’s talk about Liquid, DarkZero, and Virtus.pro. Is there any common factor that separates these three teams from the others?

I think the common factor among these three teams is that they are strong in their respective regions. Whenever they go to international events, you can count on them to secure wins. However, there’s a noticeable gap between them and the teams that consistently make the top four.

The difference is that S-Tier teams can do everything. They can play fast or slow, they adjust their tempo on the fly, and they feel comfortable in any situation. In contrast, A-Tier teams are excellent at executing their game plan, but when they are forced into an uncomfortable position, they struggle.

Virtus.pro, for example, follows a very structured, methodical playstyle—almost robotic. But if an opponent disrupts them with aggression, they have a hard time adjusting. DarkZero has recently adopted a faster approach, but at their core, they still have passive players. When they face a structured yet aggressive team like a Brazilian squad, their individual players sometimes get overwhelmed.

Liquid, on the other hand, is very consistent. They have experienced players who understand the game at a deep level. But when they face extremely slow and disciplined teams, they struggle. If Liquid plays against Virtus.pro, for example, Virtus.pro would likely win because Liquid doesn’t know how to handle that kind of defensive, structured play.

So overall, these teams excel when the matchup favors them, but if they are forced out of their comfort zone, that’s when they run into problems.

Now, let’s move on to the B-Tier teams. Which teams do you place in this category?

I’d put Team Secret, M80, Unwanted, and SSG (Spacestation Gaming) in B-Tier. Also, I’d add G2. So my B-Tier consists of Secret, M80, Unwanted, SSG, and G2.

Speaking of Spacestation Gaming, I’ll be interviewing them soon. What do you think is holding them back from reaching A-Tier or even S-Tier?

Honestly, that’s a tough question because, on paper, there’s nothing that should be holding SSG back. They have a strong roster with talented players, a great coaching staff, and they can play both fast and slow styles. They have all the tools to be a championship-winning team, yet they haven’t been able to break through.

The biggest issue is their playstyle. They play a very flexible game, where each player controls a specific part of the map. When they see an opening, they take it, hoping that it triggers a chain reaction to create more opportunities.

So, is it like a gamble?

Yeah, kind of. Their approach relies on setting off a chain reaction—one small opening leading to a bigger one. But if that first opportunity doesn’t happen, they struggle to adapt. They don’t have a dedicated playmaker who can force openings when needed. Their structure is great in theory, but when things don’t go their way, they don’t react fast enough.

That’s what sets them apart from top-tier teams. It’s frustrating because one day they look like a top team, dominating strong opponents, but then the next day they struggle against a weaker team that unknowingly counters them. It’s almost like SSG is too smart for their own good—they overthink things and end up stuck in the same place.

You also placed Team Secret in B-Tier. I recently spoke to FURIA’s players, and FelipoX told me that people are sleeping on Secret because they’ve been steadily improving throughout the year. This Invitational could be their breakthrough. But earlier, you said you’re a bit of a Secret hater. What makes you skeptical about their progress?

I definitely see their improvement, and they deserve their spot in B-Tier. They are making events consistently, which is a good sign. But in my opinion, they still feel like a mid-tier team—sometimes they make the main stage, sometimes they don’t.

I think some of their players are really good, but others just aren’t on the same level. That’s what holds them back. Right now, they’re a solid team, but I feel like they’re one roster change away from becoming a consistent top-four team. If they make that adjustment, they could become a real threat.

Earlier, you hesitated when placing G2 in B-Tier. Are they on the borderline between dark horses and mid-tier contenders? What makes them so unpredictable?

G2 is an interesting case. At big events, they always seem to level up. They thrive on the energy of LAN tournaments, and their playstyle becomes even more effective in that environment. Their aggressive approach is similar to SSG, but taken to the extreme.

Unlike SSG, G2 doesn’t wait for openings—they create them. They’re one of the only teams that will send a player like Doki on a solo roam with no support, no utility, and no info. He either wins the round single-handedly or dies immediately, leaving the team in a tough spot.

That kind of risk-taking makes them deadly at events. They capitalize on opponents who aren’t expecting that level of aggression. Plus, they have experience—this roster has won before, and they know how to handle high-pressure situations.

However, their regional performance has been shaky. They had to qualify through the Last Chance Qualifier, which isn’t ideal. Based on their recent form, you could argue they belong in C-Tier. But because of their history and ability to step up at big events, I’m comfortable placing them in B-Tier. You can never count them out.

G2 completely failed in Montreal and Manchester. If you check Doki’s Wikipedia page, it seems like they only really power up at Invitationals. In 2023, they had a great result—winning the Major—and last year, they made top four. Do you think this new roster can push them to a top-three finish or maybe even higher? Can they become more consistent?

Personally, I’m not a big fan of this new roster. I think Loyra has proven himself to be a solid addition, but I’m still unsure about Blas. Even when he played in North America, he was never a standout player. During Montreal, there was a stat showing how impactful he was, and he ranked among the lowest in terms of impact.

I remember watching the playoffs and noticing that in rounds where his team won, he barely contributed, and in rounds where he got kills, his team still lost. I believe his impact percentage was around 30% or even as low as 17%.

That being said, G2 still has Doki, Alem4o, and UUNO, who are incredibly confident players. That confidence alone can win them games. They could make a deep run, but I don’t see them as real title contenders. That’s why I put them in B-Tier—it feels like a safe choice.

They struggled in Montreal due to internal issues, and their performance depends heavily on confidence. Since they had to fight through the LCQ, that may have given them the momentum they need.

Now let’s talk about C-Tier teams. These are the dark horses—the ones who might have a Cinderella story. Which teams would you place here?

I’d put Oxygen, Falcons, and Team Joel in C-Tier.

From my experience in esports, dark horse teams usually have an "X-Factor"—something that helps them compete with more consistent and successful teams. Is there a common X-Factor among these teams, or do you have different expectations for each?

For Oxygen and Falcons, the common X-Factor is their star players.

Oxygen has struggled for the last two to three years, but now they’ve made their first event in a while. Their X-Factor is definitely Nuers. He’s the type of player who can single-handedly win a game. If the team plays their roles properly and keeps the energy up, Nuers can take over.

The issue with Oxygen is that when things go wrong, they fall apart mentally. You can see it in their player cams—nobody talks, and there’s no problem-solving. If they come into this event with a good mindset, they could be a real dark horse.

Falcons have a similar X-Factor in players like Robby and Hashom. Robby was the highest-rated player in the playoffs in Montreal. If Falcons can problem-solve while utilizing their frag power, they could surprise people.

For Team Joel, it’s different. I honestly don’t think they’ll do well, but if they have an X-Factor, it’s nudl and Leadr. When they played together on Geekay, they made it all the way to the main stage in Atlanta. No one expected Geekay to go that far, but they kept proving people wrong.

However, Team Joel has gone through a lot recently—losing their org (BLEED) and dealing with internal issues. That kind of instability could affect their performance. Players like Reeps96 are great, but others, like MentalistC and Hovenherst, haven’t had a strong impact. I see them as a borderline C-Tier team.

Now for the last tier—D-Tier. These teams are the outsiders, right?

Yeah, I’d put Cyclops, SCARZ, PSG Talon, and RazaH Company Academy in D-Tier.

It’s not about doubting their performance—there are obvious reasons why they are in D-Tier. But doesn’t this make Group C weaker? Does it give an advantage to teams like Raza, Talon, or Falcons?

Yeah, for sure. Group C has a clear divide. DarkZero and BDS are the top teams, but after that, it’s a massive fight for third place. There’s a real chance for a lower-tier team to sneak through.

That said, even if one or two of these teams make it to playoffs, I don’t think they’ll find success beyond that stage. APAC teams in general struggle internationally, and historically, they haven’t been able to compete with the best teams from NA, EU, or Brazil.

Cyclops is probably the weakest team in the tournament. SCARZ has potential, but I need to see it to believe it. Talon nearly beat BDS in a previous event—I think it was in Manchester—but close isn’t good enough.

As for RazaH Company Academy, they used to be E1, and their first major (Manchester) was a disaster. They went 0-3, losing to three APAC teams. If APAC is already the weakest region, and they lost to all APAC teams, that says a lot.

They didn’t qualify for Montreal, so they’ve had no international experience since. Losing their org also adds another layer of instability. I just don’t see them performing well.

Which teams benefit the most from the current meta?

I think teams that utilize shields well will have an advantage. Blackbeard might also play a role. The strongest teams will likely be those that excel on defense.

While attack has flexibility, most teams will probably overload on shields to push defenders back. That means aggressive defensive teams that don’t allow attackers to set up will thrive.

With that in mind, I’d say W7M, FURIA, Shopify Rebellion, G2, and even BDS will be in a strong position.

We’ve talked a lot about teams, but I still have a few questions about individual players. Which players do you think are MVP material for this tournament? Who are you most excited to watch?

If I had to pick a top five for MVP candidates, I’d say:

1. L0BIN or volpz
2. LikEfac (BDS)
3. Jv92
4. Someone from FURIA—probably Kheyze
5. As a wild card, Surf from Shopify Rebellion

Surf really impressed people at the last Major when he played for Sonics. He was one of the top-rated players at the event, finishing +30 in stats. He could be a breakout performer again.

One of the things I love about esports is the big matchups. Even though I’m new to Rainbow Six, I’m really looking forward to FURIA vs. W7M. They faced off multiple times last year, and the FURIA roster won the last Invitational under the W7M banner. What are the matchups you’re most excited about?

Interregional matchups are always the most exciting for me. Looking at the schedule, a few games stand out:

• M80 vs. G2 – should be a fun game
• Shopify Rebellion vs. FaZe – a big one with serious implications
• W7M vs. Virtus.pro – will be a great test
• W7M vs. OXG – personally excited for this one

FoxA’s tier list shows which teams are the strongest and which ones have something to prove. FaZe, W7M, BDS, FURIA, and Shopify Rebellion are his top picks, while other teams are looking to make a name for themselves.

As the tournament gets closer, fans can expect exciting matches, big surprises, and tough battles. Whether you support a top team or an underdog, this event will be full of action. Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament begins!