Team Liquid enter additional LAN events in attempt to revive Cologne Major hopes

Team Liquid enter additional LAN events in attempt to revive Cologne Major hopes

Team Liquid have registered for two upcoming Counter-Strike 2 LAN tournaments — Roman Imperium Cup VI and DraculaN Season 6 — as the North American organization attempts to keep its chances of qualifying for the IEM Cologne Major alive after an early elimination from ESL Pro League Season 23. 

The move comes shortly after Liquid were knocked out of ESL Pro League Stage 1 with a 2-3 record, culminating in a decisive loss to 3DMAX. That defeat significantly damaged their position in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) race for Major invitations and reduced their qualification probability to roughly 13 percent, according to calculations by analyst Mischief. 

In response, the organization began exploring additional opportunities to earn ranking points before the Cologne Major invite cutoff. Signing up for Roman Imperium Cup VI and DraculaN Season 6 is part of that strategy. If Liquid ultimately compete in both tournaments, their estimated chances of qualifying for the Major could increase to around 35-36 percent. 

Additional tournaments added to the schedule

Roman Imperium Cup VI is scheduled to take place from March 12 to March 15 in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. The event will feature around 20 teams and a prize pool of roughly $13,000. The competition includes several recognizable organizations such as OG, 9INE, Alliance, BESTIA, and Gaimin Gladiators. 

The format is expected to include a round-robin best-of-one group stage followed by single-elimination playoffs played as best-of-three series. Despite its relatively small prize pool, the event carries importance because of its potential impact on the VRS ranking system, which determines invitations to major tournaments. 

DraculaN Season 6 will take place later, running from March 29 to April 2. According to registration lists and event pages, Liquid have already been listed among the attending teams, alongside squads such as Monte, ENCE, fnatic, Alliance, 9INE, and FUT. 

Although Liquid have not formally confirmed their attendance at both events, their inclusion in registration sheets and tournament listings indicates that the team is actively exploring every possible opportunity to gain additional ranking points before the Major invitation deadline. 

VRS race becoming increasingly competitive

Liquid’s decision to add more events to their schedule reflects the increasingly volatile race for IEM Cologne Major invitations. Several teams on the edge of qualification — including BIG, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and 3DMAX — are also battling for valuable VRS points through smaller LAN tournaments and qualifiers. 

For Liquid, the situation is particularly challenging because their recent results have left them trailing competitors in the standings. Analysts note that LAN victories are especially valuable under the current ranking model, meaning participation in additional offline tournaments can offer crucial opportunities to gain ground. 

At the same time, the team still has several important events ahead of the Major invite deadline. Among them, BLAST Open Rotterdam is expected to offer the highest number of ranking points and will likely play a decisive role in determining whether Liquid can secure a spot at the prestigious Cologne tournament. 

A critical period for Liquid

Liquid’s aggressive scheduling highlights how narrow their path to the Major has become. While entering more events does not guarantee success, it increases the number of matches and potential ranking gains available before invitations are finalized.

The upcoming weeks will therefore be crucial for the roster led by Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek. Strong performances at smaller LAN events could help rebuild momentum and provide the ranking boost needed to return to the Major conversation. However, with multiple teams competing for limited spots, Liquid’s qualification hopes remain uncertain despite the additional opportunities. 

Ultimately, Roman Imperium Cup VI and DraculaN Season 6 may prove to be decisive tournaments in determining whether Liquid’s 2026 season can recover from its disappointing start — or if the team will miss out on one of Counter-Strike’s most prestigious stages.