Team Spirit breeze through Esports World Cup group stage to advance to playoffs

Team Spirit get to skip a full tournament stage at the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC) on the back of a nearly perfect group stage run.

A 5-1 overall game score in the two-game series format of the group stage placed Team Spirit at the top of Group A. The result ensures Team Spirit secures a top 8 finish at EWC and grants them a five-day rest, while the rest of the teams will fight for their tournament lives in the second phase, which is a single-elimination Gauntlet Bracket.

Interestingly enough, Team Spirit’s only draw series throughout the group play came against Xtreme Gaming, who ultimately finished at the bottom of the group, tied with Talon Esports with an overall 1-3 game score. The only good news is that nobody gets eliminated at the end of the group stage at EWC, and placing at the bottom of the group means that Xtreme and Talon will get a chance at redemption through the gauntlet bracket.

Second place in Group A was claimed by Natus Vincere, who will be seeded in the second round of the gauntlet bracket and therefore will need a single victory to make it to the playoffs stage.

The gauntlet bracket will bring best-of-three series and will kick off Saturday, July 12, with all the teams placed 3rd/4th in each group. Until then, Groups B, C, and D are to determine their leaders and the relegated teams, respectively.