WINNERS League Season 3 Invite Divisions teams, groups announced

Season 3 of WINNERS League is fast approaching and the lineup of competitors for the Invite Division is now set.

Once again there will be two Invite Division regions comprised of 32 teams each, bringing ESL Pro League and major-level teams together with hot up-and-comers looking to break out at their expense. Both divisions will feature a number of teams returning from WINNERS League Season 2 alongside interesting newcomers.

The North America division will be headlined by a number of top teams from last season. Previous winners Swole Patrol, who won Season 2 under the Lazarus Esports banner, will return with a heavily altered roster. The team will be looking both to defend their crown and to reestablish themselves as contenders with a new roster built around Braxton “swag” Pierce.

Swole Patrol won’t be the only team looking for a fresh start, though. North American stars Ryan “freakazoid” Abadir and Joshua “steel” Nissan are back in action after taking breaks following the dissolution of Ghost Gaming. They’ll both be competing in WINNERS League Season 3, with freakazoid representing eUnited and steel joining Ben’s Anime Team.

Of course, those names represent a major opportunity for big upsets for the upstart teams in the North America division. The New England Whalers, Ascent Esports, and 7sins Esports will all be looking to carve out a spot in the North American region at their expense.

The Europe division is comprised of a slew of established teams and regional staples that should be familiar to most CSGO fans. Poland’s PACT, Belarus’ Nemiga Gaming, Portugal’s OFFSET Esports, and more are all set to return after Season 2, with French staple Team LDLC joining in as well.

All of these teams will be looking to climb to the top in Season 3, but WINNERS League is about giving new teams the chance to shine as well.

Season 2 Main Division winner Vexed Gaming has been promoted to the Invite Division for Season 3 and will look to put England back on the Counter-Strike map. Two of Europe’s best women’s teams will spread their wings as Copenhagen Flames FE and DreamHack Showdown Valencia winners Besiktas Esports join the fray. Finally, the former Epsilon lineup now representing Tenerife Titans is seeking to keep its momentum going and to establish the side as a serious threat internationally.

Both Invite Divisions will boast a $15,000 prize pool. First place will receive $7,000 while second takes $3,000. $1,500 will go to the eliminated semifinalists, while top-eight finishers will receive $500.

The WINNERS League Season 3 Invite Division regular season will begin on October 21. More information can be found on the official site. Sign-ups for the Open and Main divisions will close on October 25.