Image via Ubisoft/@joao_Ferreria
UPDATE 28/01/2022: According to a post from their Twitter account, the ex-Atheris roster will compete under the Akave Esports banner.
The LATAM SI 2022 Closed Qualifier will be played in Stockholm, Sweden, one week before the start of the Six Invitational 2022, according to an announcement from Ubisoft.
Earlier this month, the LATAM SI 2022 Closed Qualifier had to be put on hold following various “broken safety measures”. Players from teams outside Brazil had to stay in their hotel rooms until finally traveling to their respective countries.
Since being put on standby on Jan. 15, there hasn’t been any more news regarding the qualifier situation. Until today – the qualifier has been moved from São Paulo, Brazil, to Stockholm, Sweden.
The winner of the qualifier will stay in the European country and play in the Six Invitational 2022, while the rest will be sent back to their countries of origin.
This will be the first time that teams from South America and Mexico fly to Europe to compete at a Siege event.
An online competition would have been impossible, as the Mexican rosters wouldn’t be able to face the Brazilian squads due to ping complications. A LAN tournament was the only solution to have a tournament with the highest number of teams possible.
Atheris’ situation, specifically, remains unclear, due to the team announcing that they would be departing the scene on Jan. 17. According to the R6 Circuit Rulebook, “All Teams competing in the Rainbow Six Circuit must be represented by a legal entity (association, company …) in order to be provided with a license.”
The tournament will be held from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, and will give the very final ticket to compete at the Six Invitational 2022. SI will be played from Feb. 8 to Feb. 20.