Fnatic and Passion UA headline Stake Ranked Ep.1 closed qualifier

Esports tournament organiser StarLadder has revealed the teams receiving direct invitations to compete in the Stake Ranked Ep.1 closed qualifiers

Fnatic and Passion UA are among the 16 teams competing in the online qualifiers taking place from March 3rd to 8th.

In addition to Passion UA and Fnatic, the closed qualifier features several teams looking to book a place in the LAN final for a chance to earn valuable Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points that determine which teams receive an invite to Tier 1 tournaments and the Majors.

Fnatic heads into the qualifier following a top-four finish at Roman Imperium Cup V, where it bested the likes of SAW and Monte across the Group Stage and Playoffs.

Berlin International Gaming (BIG), EYEBALLERS, and Friendly Campers are in action alongside FOKUS, a team continuing to show impressive form following its formation in late February.

FOKUS successfully booked its place at PGL Bucharest 2026, marking its first Tier 1 tournament appearance after winning the European closed qualifier. Another run through the Stake Ranked Ep.1 qualifiers could result in another LAN appearance as the team continues to climb the global standings.

For Passion UA, Stake Ranked Ep.1 looks to cement its place towards the top of the Americas standings as the race for Major spots continues to heat up. In February, the organisation signed former member of The MongolZ, Azbayar ‘Senzu’ Munkhbold, to its roster to bolster its firepower.

With several teams climbing the VRS and finding form, the Stake Ranked Ep.1 closed qualifier is set to be a hotly contested tournament.

The 16 teams will battle it out across a best-of-three, single-elimination bracket, with two teams securing a place at the main event occurring from April 1st to 4th. The two qualified teams join six invited teams and compete for a $100,000 (~£74,828) prize pool.

The full schedule of opening matches is as follows: