Banner Image: Furious Gaming
The last tournament that featured Mexican and South American rosters was the Six Invitational 2022 LATAM Closed Qualifier, as six teams from the region traveled to Sweden for a chance to compete at the final event.
Almost two months since then, the LATAM region is back in action. First, we have the South American and Mexican championships.
South American Championship 2022
Teams
The teams that will be competing in the first split of the South American championship 2022 are:
- Furious Gaming: VJ, DirTy, WeTz, blk, Pechito
- Malvinas Gaming: R4gnar, deniKe, Buzuka, pzdd, Kingst4r, RuleS (coach)
- Hawks: Shoxo, SUPREMAA, NesT, Yekko, Kurt, WikS (coach)
- Maycam Evolve: INFAMEZERA, Kaefe, BlackWolf, Genn, SANT9S, Geko (coach)
- Newstar: Flopy, ChiLeaN, Mich4, R3mbr4ndt, Cueva
- Nocturns: Kraften, kRMz, Kreevz, pnno9, XChugo, UNProPlayer (head coach), Gaspro (coach), Miltera (analyst)
- Leviatán: AtlaSs, dego, Ferchie, Geree, Slemds, R1CK (coach).
- Pampas: TBA
Despite Furious Gaming having won last season’s championship, the team decided to make substantial changes to the squad. The signings of the Paraguayan wunderkind Richard “blk” Rodríguez and the Argentinian star Federico “Pechito” Miller leave Furious Gaming as the team to beat in the region.
However, Malvinas Gaming’s new roster might ruin the region champions’ plans as they signed three Brazilian players including former Black Dragons and Ninjas in Pyjamas member Pedro “pzdd” Dutra.
Regarding the rest of the teams in the competition, it’s hard to predict what the results are going to be like. On paper, everything leads us to think of a more or less similar league to the one seen last season, where two or three rosters might be way ahead from the rest of the pack.
Hawks is the favorite roster to put Furious and Malvinas between a rock and a hard place, with the roster including ex-Furious Gaming duo of Mariano “Yekko” Sánchez and Jorge “Shoxo” Figueroa.
Mexican Championship 2022
Teams
Meanwhile, these are the teams that will compete in the Mexican championship:
- ALPHA Team: Akibeel, NhilV, Slaay, Toski, XigmaZ, Jack, LGS (coach), Thumperr (analyst)
- Team Cruelty: GladiuZ, Unfixed, AlanDerf, Guicho, Navy, RE4PER (coach), Ronny (assistant coach)
- Fenix Esports: Paby, Atlas, Alee11, Clipe, Victory, Ruivoz (coach), Hemwer (analyst)
- Six Karma: Fungi, Crespo, Rovi, SkMzY, Morphed, P1XIE, Physicz (head coach), Olimpo (coach)
- MET REVEN: August, D4RK, Hunther, Majestic, Ricto, Foley, Snowy (coach)
- Kingdom Gaming: Stony, Coria, Obi, Raaay, Tany
- OverKnight: Xyro, Kaethic, Draab, Kcire, Biz, Clicke (coach), Vector (analyst)
- Skull Cracker: Aztaroth, Connor, Ravz, Raxin, SielK, Royon (coach), Oskar (analyst)
Compared to last season, this year looks much different in terms of teams and players. Only four organizations remain from 2021, with Atheris Esports’ departure being the most notable.
As confirmed after the Six Invitational 2022 LATAM Closed Qualifier, the three Brazilian imports of Daniel “Novys” Novy, Lucca “MKing” Cosser, and Victor “Bersa” Hugo left the hispanic region, leaving the country without its most internationally appealing roster.
Last season’s champions Fenix Esports have gone through many changes as only Pablo “Paby” Medina has stayed in the team, leaving both ALPHA Team and Team Cruelty as the main favorites to take the first two places.
The ex-Estral Esports duo of Oscar “Toski” Sepúlveda and Arturo “XigmaZ” Vizcarra has been reunited in ALPHA Team, while Team Cruelty has picked up ex-Atheris Esports duo Luís “Guicho” Gómez and Luís “Navy” Eduardo.
Another team to look forward to is Six Karma, who has got three former Estral Esports players and last season’s Fenix Esports' Saúl “Morphed” Torres.
It is also worth noticing Mexico’s decision of signing Brazilian coaches and analysts as an attempt to take a step forward. Fenix Esports picked up former 9z Team analyst Erick “Hemwer” Costa and former Leviatán coach Luíz “Ruivoz” Felipe, while ALPHA Team has signed ex-Furious Gaming analyst and coach Lucca “LGS” Santucci.
Schedule
Both competitions will have a number of seven game-days, with the South American championship being played between March 23 and April 8, and the Mexican championship between March 26 and April 10.
The best two from each region will compete at the Copa Elite Six 2022 Stage 1, which will be played between April 23 and May 1.