ESL Challengers League S50 Cup #1: All Teams Invited

ESL has publicly stated the full compilation of 104 teams that are scheduled to participate in the ESL Challengers League Season 50 Cup #1 tournament spanning across each of the five regions.

This Counter-Strike 2 contest is structured as one of four separate cup competitions, with each region hosting its own double-elimination bracket. The victor emerging from each individual cup earns qualification for the ESL Challenger League Season 50 Regional Finals, which itself operates as a single elimination bracket, ultimately granting the winner a place in ESL Pro League Season 23.

Eighty-nine of the teams were extended invitations based on their positions in the Valve Regional Standings as of July 7th, 2025. These invitations are distributed as follows: twenty-four for Europe, seventeen for North America, sixteen for South America, eight for Asia, and four for Oceania. The remaining thirty-five teams have secured their places through the ESEA League Seasons 52 and 53, following adjustments to the qualification procedures. ESL has communicated that teams are required to finalize and submit their official rosters by July 28th, 2025.

The following list represents all teams extended an invitation to compete in the ESL Challengers League Season 50 Cup #1 across each respective region, alongside a record of any organizations that opted to decline these invitations.

Prominent teams, including Team Vitality, MOUZ, and Team Spirit, did not receive invitations due to a requirement that team rosters be ranked outside the top 12 in Valve’s Regional Standings. Furthermore, 3DMAX, Virtus.pro, Astralis, Team Liquid, B8, Ninjas In Pyjamas, ECSTATIC, Natus Vincere Junior, and TEAM NEXT LEVEL all turned down their invitations for the European region.

In North America, the following esports teams elected not to participate after being invited: Complexity, Wildcard Gaming, Nouns Esports, ex-Party Astronauts, ex-LAG Gaming, girl kissers, Black Mold, and MEGA JUNERS.

In South America, paiN Gaming, Legacy, MIBR, Furia Esports Impact, ex-RED Canids, MIBR fe, adalYamigos, UNO MILLE, and 0 PLANO will be absent, having declined their respective invitations from ESL.

Within the Asian region, ESL reports that Akimbo, Gods Reign, Shika, and ex-Victores Sumus all rejected invitations to participate.

The teams from Oceania that chose to decline invitations include FlyQuest and Only One World.