The Opening Stage of the Shanghai Major is done and dusted, and we can now look forward to more CS2 action in Shanghai, as the highest-seeded teams enter the tournament in the Elimination Stage.

For both G2 and Natus Vincere, the drawing for the Elimination Stage could probably have been better for the teams, that are paired up with the two "3-0" teams from the Opening Stage.

Here are the fixtures for the Elimination Stage of the Shanghai Major, set for Thursday, December 5th. The times are listed in CET:

Thursday 5th December Fixtures (Times in CET)

, after both teams had convincingly won their respective map picks—

, the two teams clashed in an intense showdown that delivered an unforgettable finish for the spectators in Shanghai. The match carried significant narrative for both sides. For 

, the win was not only a personal triumph, but also marked a major milestone for the Americas region. With the other four teams already advancing, Wildcard’s success solidified the region’s dominance in the tournament so far.

 would have been a remarkable achievement and an emotional high for the Ukrainian team, particularly given the departure of Russian rosters from the tournament during the 

Wildcard was on the verge of closing out the match in regular time, but in two pivotal rounds, 

 turned the momentum with fast-paced attacks on the 

, forcing the match into overtime. However, in the extended play, 

 proved to be the stronger team, securing a 16-13 victory to seal their place in the next stage.

In the end, it came down to the experience of one of the old-timers in the Counter-Strike sphere. 30-year-old Peter "stanislaw" Jarguz not only led his team as the in-game leader but also ended Ancient as the highest-ranked performer on the server. A remarkable performance from the Canadian, who most people probably had written off in terms of qualifying for the last stages of a Major. 

Wildcard and the rest of the qualified teams for the Elimination Stage will begin the hunt for the playoffs on Thursday. 

stanislaw

Brazilian Counter-Strike has entered a new era of hope and resurgence as MIBR comfortably defeated FlyQuest 2-0 to secure their place in the Elimination Stage of the ongoing Perfect World Shanghai Major. This historic moment sees MIBR joining paiN and FURIA, marking the first time three Brazilian teams have reached this stage in a Major tournament.

For a scene that has struggled to replicate the heights of 2016, when SK Gaming and Luminosity Gaming claimed back-to-back Major titles with Brazilian lineups, this achievement symbolizes a potential revival. Speaking about this historic milestone, André 'drop' Abreu, one of MIBR's key players, reflected on the team’s success and the state of Brazilian Counter-Strike.

"We Are the Top 3 Brazilian Teams Right Now"

Drop expressed pride in MIBR’s accomplishment and highlighted the competitive spirit among Brazil’s top teams:

This friendly rivalry among MIBR, paiN, and FURIA reflects a healthy competition that could drive all three teams to new heights in the international Counter-Strike scene. As they prepare for the next stage, the teams have an opportunity to prove who truly deserves the top spot in Brazilian CS2.

[twitchClip:AmazingAnimatedNeanderthalTwitchRPG-BZYjdQCLQacqRPtb]

Beyond the immediate success, drop also spoke about the broader development of Brazilian Counter-Strike:

This statement underlines the potential of Brazil as a fertile ground for Counter-Strike talent. While the current trio of teams is making waves, drop’s optimism suggests a bright future for younger players and emerging teams from the region.

MIBR’s decisive victory against FlyQuest began with a dominant 13-4 performance on Nuke, followed by a convincing 13-5 win on Inferno. These results showcased the team’s strategic preparation and individual brilliance, qualities they will need to carry into the next phase of the Major.

As the Elimination Stage approaches, all eyes will be on Brazil’s representatives to see if they can push even further and potentially bring a Major trophy back to a region hungry for international glory. For now, MIBR’s success stands as a testament to the resurgence of Brazilian Counter-Strike and the dedication of its players to elevate their scene back to the top.

drop

MIBR

MIBR joined FURIA and paiN in the next stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major after an emphatic victory over FlyQuest in the final round of the Opening Stage.

The match began with MIBR asserting dominance on Nuke, securing a commanding 13-4 victory. Rafael 'saffee' Costa delivered an outstanding performance, posting an 18-6 scoreline and leading his team to a flawless start. The momentum carried over to Inferno, where MIBR continued their relentless form. FlyQuest struggled to find any answers against the well-oiled Brazilian squad, which kept the Australians on the back foot throughout the map. Inferno concluded with a decisive 13-5 scoreline in favor of MIBR.

The victory marked a historic milestone for Brazil, as the Shanghai Major is the first time in the tournament’s history that three Brazilian teams have reached the Elimination Stage of a Major.

Later today, Wildcard and Passion UA will face off in the final match of the Opening Stage to determine the last team to secure a spot in the next phase of the tournament.

BIG have clinched their place in the Elimination Stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major, overcoming Complexity in a thrilling 2-1 series. This marks a significant milestone for the German team, returning to the second stage of a Major for the first time since IEM Rio 2022. The victory came after a rocky start, but BIG’s resilience and strategic adaptability propelled them forward.

On the other hand, Complexity’s loss signifies a rare setback for their star rifler, Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski, who had previously maintained a flawless record of reaching the top 16 in Majors since PGL Major Krakow 2017.

BIG entered the tournament amidst controversy surrounding the RMR rule changes. Initially, their 3-0 performance in the Europe RMR B seemed to guarantee a direct spot in the Elimination Stage. However, a mid-tournament announcement revealed that invitations were instead based on Valve’s Regional Standings, forcing BIG into the Opening Stage. Despite this unexpected challenge, Johannes "tabseN" Wodarz and his squad displayed unwavering determination.

BIG’s road to the Elimination Stage included victories over Passion UA and Virtus.pro, coupled with hard-fought losses to FlyQuest and FURIA. They secured their spot in the top 16 with a decisive win against Complexity, demonstrating their ability to perform under pressure.

The series saw Complexity dominate Anubis 13-5 with standout performances from EliGE and hallzerk. BIG responded on Ancient, winning 13-9 through strong defense and tactical adjustments. The decider on Dust2 was fiercely contested, but BIG's cohesive T-side play overcame hallzerk's remarkable 1.83 rating, clinching a 13-9 victory and advancing them to the Elimination Stage.

BIG joins The MongolZ, Liquid, GamerLegion, paiN, and FURIA in the next stage of the Shanghai Major. The last two spots in the Elimination Stage will be found later today.

compLexity Gaming

The Major champions from IEM Rio, Virtus.pro, have crashed out of the Perfect World Shanghai Major, suffering a shocking 2-1 loss to underdogs Wildcard in the Opening Stage on Monday.

An early Major exit, wasn’t really what was expected when the Russians added the former NAVI star Denis “electroNic” Sharipov to their roster earlier this year.

However, the Dzhami "Jame" Ali-led squad has struggled to live up to expectations, and their poor form culminated in a disappointing exit in Shanghai.

Despite a promising start with a win on Ancient, Virtus.pro was completely outplayed by Wildcard on the following maps, Inferno and Anubis. Dzhami “Jame” Ali and his squad failed to recover as Wildcard secured the victory, led by standout performances from phzy and Stanislaw. 

As Virtus.pro's days at the Major have come to an end, Wildcard will live to fight another battle in China when they take on Passion UA tomorrow. 

Wildcard vs Virtus.pro 2-1 | Shanghai Major Opening Stage

Earlier today at the Shanghai Major, Cloud9 and Rare Atom bowed out of the tournament after falling in their respective elimination series, marking an early exit for both squads.

Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the standings, the Brazilians from FURIA and paiN successfully punched their tickets to the Elimination Stage with decisive victories over BIG and FlyQuest. Joining them is GamerLegion, who secured their spot after a resilient performance against Passion UA.

The youngsters from GamerLegion have advanced to the next phase of the Perfect World Shanghai Major, defeating Passion UA in a thrilling best-of-three series on Monday.

Despite coming into the match with momentum from two consecutive wins, Passion UA struggled to find consistency on the server, especially on the opening map, Inferno, where they fell 13-6.

That has to be GamerLegion’s jaw-dropping full-eco round win, with FL4MUS casually playing 

 on the bells in T-spawn—an unforgettable moment for fans.

Although Passion UA fought back with a dominant 13-5 win on Mirage, the decider on Ancient saw GamerLegion reclaim control. A stellar T-side performance from ztr and crew laid the groundwork for a rock-solid CT hold, securing the 2-1 series victory.

GamerLegion vs Passion UA 2-1 | Perfect World Shanghai Major Opening Stage

In the earlier matches today at the Shanghai Major we’ve seen Cloud9 and Rare Atom getting sent home from China, after losing their respective elimination series.

On the other side of the spectrum, the Brazilians from FURIA and paiN both managed to grab a ticket to the Elimination Stage through victories over BIG and FlyQuest, respectively.

Have we just witnessed Round of the Year?

In an absolutely ridiculous sequence at the Shanghai Major, 

 pulled off one of the most obscure rounds this year, beating Passion UA with a full eco round – only Glocks and no armor – WHILE playing “Baby Shark” on the bells in T-spawn on Inferno.

Yeah, it sounds mad. But nonetheless, it was exactly what happened in today’s match.

Check out the wild round for yourself in the video below.

Cloud9 has been sent packing from the Perfect World Shanghai Major after a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Complexity on Monday morning.

The loss marks the end of Cloud9’s run in China, leaving them with a 1-3 score in the Opening Stage and without a single Bo3 victory in the tournament.

The elimination series unfolded on Vertigo and Ancient, where Complexity showcased a strong performance on the server. Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski was the driving force behind Complexity’s success, delivering an outstanding 1.39 average rating across the two maps.

In contrast, Cloud9’s key player, Nikita “HeavyGod” Martynenko, struggled to make an impact throughout the match.

Complexity vs Cloud9 2-0 | Perfect World Shanghai Major Opening Stage

Monday schedule and Results | Shanghai Major Opening Stage

FURIA has secured their spot in the Elimination Stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major after an impressive 2-1 victory over BIG on Monday morning. With this win, the Brazilian team joins Liquid and The MongolZ as teams progressing from the Opening Stage's Swiss group.

The series against BIG started poorly for FURIA, as they suffered a crushing 13-5 loss on Nuke. However, led by the stellar performances of Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo and Yuri “yuurih” Santos, FURIA bounced back with a hard-fought win on Mirage (13-11) and a domination on the decider on Dust2 (13-3).

While FURIA celebrates their advance, BIG will need to regroup as they head into their last-chance match tomorrow for a shot at the Elimination Stage.

FURIA vs BIG 2-1 | Perfect World Shanghai Major Opening Stage

Monday schedule | Perfect World Shanghai Major Opening Stage

Day three at the Opening Stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major is now underway featuring six thrilling matchups.

There’s a lot on the line in today’s matches with them either granting a spot at the Elimination Stage or if you loses, it means elimination.

Headlining the schedule we have an exciting elimination battle between Cloud9 and the North Americans from Complexity at 07:00 (CET).

The first two Bo3 series have already started. Check out the schedule below.

Monday Schedule | Perfect World Shanghai Major Opening Stage

The first two teams have booked their spots in the Elimination Stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major, with The MongolZ and Liquid standing tall after dominant performances on Day 3 of the Opening Stage.

Liquid secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over FlyQuest, bouncing back from an initial stumble on the first map. Meanwhile, The MongolZ crushed GamerLegion in a swift 2-0 series, leaving no doubts about their superiority in the decisive match. 

The results means that the two favorite teams join the likes of Vitality, G2 and NAVI at the next stage in Shanghai. 

At the other end of the table, Fnatic and Imperial suffered a disastrous run, becoming the first teams eliminated after three consecutive losses. Both teams will leave Shanghai with significant questions about their form and future as the Major progresses.

Standings After Day 3 | Shanghai Major Opening Stage

The opening stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major has already claimed its first casualties, with Fnatic and Imperial both eliminated after suffering three consecutive losses.

Fnatic’s exit came in dramatic fashion as they fell to Rare Atom in a closely contested elimination match. Despite starting strong on Ancient with a 13-10 victory, Alexandre “bodyy” Pianaro’s squad crumbled in the next two maps. The Chinese hometown favorites stormed back on Inferno (13-10) and delivered a commanding 13-4 win on Vertigo to seal the series, with Andrew "kaze" Khong starring with a 1.71 rating on the decider. 

Rare Atom vs Fnatic 2-1 | Perfect World Major Shanghai

Joining Fnatic as an eary elimination are Imperial. The Brazilian team also went 0-3 in the Swiss stage, capped off by a 2-0 loss to Complexity. The North Americans looked sharp as they eliminated the Brazilians in two maps, sending Vinicius 'VINI' Figueiredo and his squad packing.

Complexity vs Imperial 2-0 | Perfect World Shanghai Major

13-4 (Inferno) – hallzerk | 1.39 rating

News 12 / 2024	Published at
The MongolZ and Team Liquid face G2 and NAVI in Elimination Stage	12/3/2024
Wildcard Secures Dramatic Victory and Advances to the Elimination Stage	12/3/2024
drop on Brazilian success: I think we are growing as a region and as a country	12/3/2024
Brazilian Festa in Shanghai – MIBR Ready for Elimination Stage	12/3/2024
BIG Secure Spot in the Elimination Stage of Perfect World Shanghai Major	12/3/2024
Disaster! Virtus.pro plowed out of the Major by underdogs	12/2/2024
GamerLegion secures Elimination Stage spot in front of Passion UA	12/2/2024
Video: FL4MUS plays "Baby Shark" as GamerLegion wins full-eco round	12/2/2024
Cloud9 sent home from China by Complexity	12/2/2024
FURIA ready for the Elimination Stage in Shanghai	12/2/2024
Cloud9 to face Complexity in fight for survival at the Major	12/2/2024
Favorites prevail at the Major as they advance to the next stage	12/1/2024
Fnatic and Brazilians eliminated early at Shanghai Major	12/1/2024

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