Liquid’s Region Switch Boosts Cologne Major Chances as FaZe Fight for Survival in VRS Race

With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major qualification deadline (April 6) approaching, the VRS (Valve Regional Standings) race has entered a निर्णающий phase. The biggest shift comes from Liquid’s roster change, which could effectively secure their Major spot.

Liquid swapped Guy “NertZ” Iluz for Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa, a move that re-establishes the team as an Americas-majority roster. This is crucial because it allows Liquid to compete for Major qualification in the less crowded Americas region, instead of Europe.

According to HLTV projections, Liquid are expected to reach 1298 VRS points, placing them comfortably in qualification range—between paiN and Voca—assuming they complete the required matches before the cutoff.

Why this move matters:

Liquid avoid Europe’s highly competitive qualification pool

Americas region offers clearer qualification path

Upcoming events provide strong point opportunities

Events remaining for Liquid:

BLAST Open Rotterdam

DraculaN Season 6

WINAMAX CS2 Trophy

If results go as expected, Liquid’s qualification is now highly likely.

Criticism Around Liquid’s Move

The transfer has sparked debate within the CS2 community. By switching regions, Liquid indirectly reduced qualification chances for other Americas teams, including M80 and Passion UA.

This highlights a controversial aspect of the VRS system—roster changes can impact entire regional ecosystems, not just individual teams.

malbsMd Role Change Could Unlock Liquid’s Potential

From a gameplay perspective, the move may benefit both teams.

At G2, malbsMd was often placed in restrictive roles. Previously, Swisher commented that:

“He doesn’t deserve to be in those roles… he should be in the roles that he shines in.”

Joining Liquid could allow malbsMd to take on more impactful rifling roles, potentially elevating the team’s ceiling.

Liquid’s Instability Leading Up to the Move

Liquid’s inconsistency in recent months also explains the timing of the transfer.

NertZ previously pointed out leadership issues within the roster:

“We were lacking a guy saying, ‘This is how it’s going to be.’”

He also emphasized the mentality needed at the top level:

“You need to be delusional to win sometimes.”

These comments reflect a team that struggled to find identity before making a decisive change ahead of the Major cutoff.

FaZe Increase Cologne Major Odds with DraculaN Addition

While Liquid found a structural advantage, FaZe are fighting to stay alive in the Major race.

Earlier in March, FaZe’s qualification chances were estimated at around 50% following a poor run of results, including elimination from ESL Pro League Season 23.

However, their decision to attend DraculaN Season 6 (March 29 – April 2) significantly improved their outlook.

Impact of DraculaN:

Additional ranked LAN before cutoff

Major opportunity to gain VRS points

Boosted qualification probability to ~90%

FaZe will also attend PGL Bucharest immediately after, making this stretch critical for their season.

Internal Issues Continue for FaZe

Despite improved odds, FaZe remain under pressure.

The team recently parted ways with head coach Filip “NEO” Kubski, with analyst GruBy stepping in as interim coach. The decision follows a 3–9 match record in 2026 and multiple group-stage exits.

Their next test comes at BLAST Open Rotterdam, where they face Aurora.

karrigan on FaZe struggles:

“The past nine months have been a blur.”

He also noted that roster changes brought:

“new young blood”

—but results have yet to stabilize.

Other Teams Impacting the VRS Race

Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP)

Won Roman Imperium Cup VI

Re-entered qualification contention

Estimated 21.3% chance to qualify

K27

Outside contender with 2.3% шанс

Asia Region Shake-Up

THUNDER dOWNUNDER gained 165 VRS points

Climbed to 2nd in Asia rankings

Pushed Lynn Vision and TYLOO out (temporarily)

Cologne Major 2026 Slot Distribution

Understanding the regional structure is key to the race:

Europe: 17 slots

Americas: 10 slots

Asia: 5 slots

Stage distribution further increases pressure, especially in Europe, making Liquid’s region switch even more impactful.

BLAST Open Rotterdam: The Next निर्णающий Event

The next major checkpoint is BLAST Open Rotterdam:

Group Stage: March 18–23 (Copenhagen)

Playoffs: March 27–29 (Rotterdam)

What’s at stake:

Liquid: Secure qualification momentum

FaZe: Begin last-chance recovery run

Conclusion: Liquid Find Stability, FaZe Fight Against Time

Liquid have effectively optimized their path to the Major through a strategic roster move, while FaZe are relying on last-minute tournament additions to stay in contention.

With the April 6 deadline looming, every match—and every VRS point—will decide who makes it to Cologne.