In recent years, Activision Blizzard has been trying to lean a little more into the Challengers ecosystem. This is the competitive tier that sits just below the Call of Duty League, and it’s essentially a proving ground for rookie talent looking to move up and into the top-flight tournament in the space. This year, during CDL Champs in Las Vegas, the Challengers Championship Grand Final will take place on the main stage in front of a crowd of tens of thousands of people.
It’s a historic first for the franchise, and it’ll be a memorable event for those taking part. For years, the Challengers scene has been getting more diverse and dynamic, and in recent months, some mind-blowing talent has found its way up the ladder and into the CDL. This will now give teams from all around the world a chance to make a name for themselves on the most important stage in Call of Duty esports.
The Rookies Deserve The Limelight
Ghosty turned around OpTic Texas’ fortunes
As the qualifiers unravel as we speak, there are several changes being made to the Challengers Champs stage. There’s one key change that’s sure to make an impact this year, and that’s the fact that Challengers Champs has doubled in terms of the roster size – there will be sixteen teams competing this year, rather than just eight teams.
For far too many people, the COD Challengers scene often goes forgotten. Every year, there are dozens of global cups, opens, and elite tournaments, all of which are designed to give these rookie players their time in the spotlight. Since the 2023 season kicked off, there have been no fewer than fifty ‘cup’ events – which take place all over the world – and eight ‘Elite’ events, tournaments that boast prize pools worth $54,000 and that serve to reveal the hottest semi-pro talent in the scene.
This year, more rookie talent has found its way into the Call of Duty League than ever before, and it’s changing the face of the competition. From Ghosty and his efforts to turn around OpTic Texas to Hicksy and Scrap, a combined force that drove Toronto Ultra to win Major III, there’s plenty of fresh talent coming up.
They’re hungry, they’re eager to make a name for themselves, and they’re aware that to get there, they need to compete against thousands of other players.
To The Main Stage
So, that’s why when the Call of Duty League Championship kicks off in Vegas in June, the Challengers Champs Grand Finals event will take place on the grandest stage of them all. There will be a Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) ahead of the tournament that’ll take place from June 3rd to June 4th, and after that, it’s Vegas, baby!
During Challengers Champs, teams will be separated into four groups of four teams apiece, with the top two teams from each group pushing on into an eight-squad double elimination bracket. On June 16th, the group stage will play out in Vegas, and then on Saturday, June 17th, the elimination bracket will be played. On the morning of Sunday 18th, the Grand Final will play out in a traditional best-of-seven format, and then it’ll switch out to the CDL Championship.
What a time to be a Call of Duty Challengers player!
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