G2 Esports and Gentle Mates are among the six teams to receive direct invitations to the Stake Ranked Ep.1 main event.
The Tier 2 Counter-Strike 2 tournament, operated by StarLadder, sees eight teams compete for a share of its $100,000 (~£75,204) prize pool.
The invites were decided using February’s Valve Regional Standings (VRS), with G2 Esports heading into the tournament as the highest-ranked team. In March’s global standings, the international roster climbed into the top ten following a top-six finish at IEM Krakow 2026 and a top-11 placement at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026.
Joining G2 Esports is the all-Spanish roster of Gentle Mates, another roster that has made significant strides in the VRS. The team has climbed 12 places to 15th, overtaking the likes of GamerLegion and HEROIC, two teams that are also in attendance.
Rounding out the invited teams are Ninjas in Pyjamas and BetBoom Team. The Swedish organisation has struggled to build on its Roman Imperium Cup III victory in December 2025, while the all-Russian roster has impressed across several Tier 2 events this year, with a third-place finish at Roman Imperium Cup V and qualification for IEM Atlanta 2026.
Alongside the six invited teams, two teams from the closed qualifier will advance to the main event for a chance to compete against established names as the race for a place at the IEM Cologne Major heats up.
Increased Importance Of Tier 2 Tournaments
Before Counter-Strike’s increased focus on the VRS, Tier 2 tournaments rarely attracted larger organisations competing in Counter-Strike esports. With several tournament organisers hosting smaller tournaments that fall under Valve’s guidelines, it provides teams on the cusp of Major qualification with an opportunity to earn points outside of the high-profile Tier 1 events.
For StarLadder and Stake, attracting notable names for its debut event is a positive, as it looks to cement itself among established Tier 2 tournament organisers.
