StarLadder has revealed the list of directly invited teams for the StarSeries Fall 2026 closed qualifiers, which will determine four participants for the main tournament with a prize pool of half a million dollars.
The qualification process will unfold across three separate regions. Europe will host the largest bracket with 16 competing organizations, while both North and South American qualifiers will feature eight teams each.
The European qualifier boasts Aurora as its top-seeded participant, representing the only squad from the global top-20 rankings. Notable organizations including Astralis, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and 3DMAX have secured their spots. 100 Thieves managed to claim an invitation after several other teams declined their participation.
In the North American bracket, NRG enters as the favorite based on current rankings. They'll face competition from Chicken Coop, SportsBetExpert, and Marsborne among others.
The South American qualifier features MIBR, who recently strengthened their roster with Lucas "nqz" Soares, as the highest-ranked contender. Traditional Brazilian powerhouses Imperial, BESTIA, and Gaimin Gladiators will battle for qualification alongside them.
The main event already has four confirmed participants through direct invitations: Vitality, FURIA, Natus Vincere, and MOUZ. The regional qualifiers will add four more teams to complete the lineup for this prestigious competition.
