Complexity, IHC among invites to ESL Challenger Melbourne

Grayhound will be the local representative at the Australian tournament in April.

ESL has announced the four teams who have received direct invites to compete at ESL Challenger Melbourne, which is slated to take place from April 28-30 with a $100,000 prize pool and spot in ESL Pro League Season 18 on offer.

Complexity, IHC, and Bad News Eagles have gotten invitations to the event based on their ESL World Ranking placement, while Grayhound have been awarded the "Local Hero" invite as the Australian representatives.

Complexity are the highest-ranked team invited to compete in Australia

Four additional teams will earn spots at the event through the regional qualifiers: one each from Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania. paiN, the 2022 reigning champions, will need to fight through the North American qualifier if they want to defend their title, while at least one additional Oceanic team should join Grayhound to play on home turf.

The qualifier dates can be found below:

Europe open qualifier - February 25-26 - bracket
Europe closed qualifier - March 8-10

North America open qualifier - March 19-20 - sign-up
North America closed qualifier - March 27-28

Oceania open qualifier - March 15-16 - sign-up
Oceania closed qualifier - March 18-19

Asia open qualifier - February 27-28 - sign-up
Asia closed qualifier - March 2-3

The tournament itself will utilize two, four-team GSL groups to determine who will advance to the playoffs. The opening and winners' matches will be best-of-one, while elimination and decider matches play out as best-of-threes.

The team list for the event looks as follows:

North America Complexity
Australia Grayhound
Europe EU Qualifier
Oceania OCE Qualifier
Mongolia IHC
Kosovo Bad News Eagles
North America NA Qualifier
Asia Asia Qualifier
why no Movistar Riders
2023-02-25 20:03
0
12 replies
xd
2023-02-25 20:04
0
3 replies
where's EG?
2023-02-25 20:05
0
2 replies
EG wouldn't even win the qualifier
2023-02-25 20:14
0
1 reply
#71
 | 
Slovakia Psycho2k
Wouldnt even win 1 match in qualifier and bombed out last place.
2023-02-26 11:33
0
#8
HLTV Verified  | 
Spain PituHerranz
xd
2023-02-25 20:13
0
#10
 | 
Spain OverZero
xd
2023-02-25 20:14
0
#11
Faceit level 3  | 
Demho | 
Italy Pipa27
xd
2023-02-25 20:15
0
xd
2023-02-25 20:56
0
thats like saying why no eg xD
2023-02-26 02:09
0
#63
 | 
Bahamas Barakudas
Annihilation: "i am happy but is only EG"
2023-02-26 09:39
0
1 reply
#72
 | 
Slovakia Psycho2k
Annhilated
2023-02-26 11:33
0
xd
2023-02-26 11:37
0
#2
NAF | 
Canada Hakkuof
nice
2023-02-25 20:02
0
#5
ZywOo | 
China Zhusha
nice, hard work paying off for IHC
2023-02-25 20:05
0
Let’s go IHC! Finally eu tournaments starting to invite them. I hope Rare Atoms and Lunar Vision will be invited too to some of t2-1 tourneys
2023-02-25 20:09
0
12 replies
#34
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
United States BGS
For real. I still think Rare Atom has the most potential out of all the Asian teams. I know Advent and Kaze are a little up there, but they bring the experience for the 3 young guns to shine.
2023-02-25 22:28
0
1 reply
#80
 | 
Norway Snaids
rare atom/vici got really fucked over by covid, they only played against tyloo in finals for like a year. Would've been fun to see them outside their region once they surpassed tyloo
2023-02-26 12:33
0
#38
Faceit level 10  | 
Stanzq | 
Australia SnappyPenguin
its in melbourne, not eu tournament lol
2023-02-25 22:42
0
IHC > COMPLEX
2023-02-26 02:15
0
#58
Faceit premium user Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
k1nco | 
Russia l3d4n
Melbourne EU events Choose one
2023-02-26 07:49
0
6 replies
I knew that Melbourne is not in eu, I meant there are some eu/na teams that we used to see in eu events. Feel it? Most of tourneys with IHC, Rare Atoms and Lunars - events with chinese, korean, mongolian teams and that's it
2023-02-26 09:41
0
5 replies
Lunar Vision ☠️☠️☠️
2023-02-26 10:43
0
4 replies
They r good too bro
2023-02-26 11:36
0
3 replies
They r Lynn bro
2023-02-26 12:20
0
2 replies
If u want
2023-02-26 15:56
0
1 reply
2023-02-26 16:01
0
True
2023-02-26 15:16
0
#7
 | 
Mongolia TmJay
ez for IHC asian godfathers
2023-02-25 20:09
0
reasonable invites
2023-02-25 20:15
0
What's the point of a local hero invite if they already have an Oceania qualifier? Why not just designate 2 slots to that qualifier :/
2023-02-25 20:20
0
4 replies
#14
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
steel | 
Belgium VulcunStoleMyD
What's the point of EU qualifier if they already have BNE? Why not just designate 2 slots to that qualifier :/ What's the point of Asia qualifier if they already have IHC? Why not just designate 2 slots to that qualifier :/ What's the point of NA qualifier if they already have Complexity? Why not just designate 2 slots to that qualifier :/
2023-02-25 20:23
0
2 replies
cuz EU teams are not ass?
2023-02-25 22:20
0
bruh why bne. those are really annoying. literally anybody else but not them!
2023-02-25 22:32
0
Grayound will probably be in Europe during qualifiers
2023-02-25 20:24
0
gud
2023-02-25 20:29
0
#17
NAF | 
United States 3van
Col or BNE win
2023-02-25 20:30
0
wow this is a boring invite list
2023-02-25 20:42
0
11 replies
#21
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
Movistar, Imperial, Fluxo, Falcons, ENCE, one of those 4 should’ve be invited for viewership reasons
2023-02-25 21:15
0
10 replies
or they could've invited teams that are actually good.
2023-02-25 21:39
0
4 replies
#28
 | 
Denmark 12inchNRG
Complexity is very good.
2023-02-25 22:08
0
3 replies
complexity and ihc are fine but kinda boring.
2023-02-25 22:14
0
2 replies
#51
 | 
Denmark 12inchNRG
lol they are honestly 2 of the more exciting teams to watch right now, would you rather Outsiders were invited? This isn't an IEM event, so you aren't going to get FaZe, G2 level teams travelling to Australia if it doesn't count towards the grand slam, Complexity is a pretty good team to come, they don't really have any incentive to participate as they are already a permanent partner org with EPL, so I guess they see it as a nice trip. But the top 5 teams are far too exhausted to fly 20+ hours for a fairly meaningless tournament. Unsure why ESL aren't going ahead with IEM Melbourne like they said in 2019 would be replacing IEM Sydney, as that attracted top teams because it counted towards a grand slam.
2023-02-26 01:58
0
1 reply
Yeah your right, just wish they would host a big event here again.
2023-02-26 17:11
0
It's based on ESL's ranking. So ENCE must have declined an invite, and the other teams you listed weren't ranked high enough.
2023-02-25 23:49
0
#43
 | 
Sweden Madrigals1
why not EG?
2023-02-26 00:29
0
3 replies
#46
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
I’ve a feeling they about to disband soon
2023-02-26 00:44
0
2 replies
#48
 | 
Sweden Madrigals1
EG.White?
2023-02-26 00:53
0
1 reply
#49
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
If the regular roster disbands , I think the blueprint projects gets in jeopardy too
2023-02-26 01:13
0
#20
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
No BR team = No viewership
2023-02-25 21:14
0
19 replies
We don't want your views
2023-02-25 21:16
0
8 replies
+1
2023-02-25 21:36
0
#27
Faceit level 10  | 
United Kingdom zouhaun
+1
2023-02-25 22:05
0
#41
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
We? You speak on behalf of ESL now?
2023-02-26 00:04
0
5 replies
Lol ur br team declined the invite....
2023-02-26 00:39
0
4 replies
#47
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
How do you know?
2023-02-26 00:45
0
3 replies
Mibr's couch said it.
2023-02-26 01:31
0
2 replies
#60
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
Didnt knew a couch could speak lol Im joking, thanks for the info Would’ve been a great event for MIBR to attend
2023-02-26 08:19
0
1 reply
#81
 | 
Norway Snaids
yeah, would've been fun to see another CoL vs. MIBR matchup for me to tear my hair out over
2023-02-26 12:35
0
#29
 | 
Denmark 12inchNRG
Views don't mean anything if it's coming from a third world country who can't afford to buy anything being advertised.
2023-02-25 22:11
0
6 replies
+1
2023-02-25 22:18
0
#42
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
Lmao that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever read on this forum. Brazil is a top 15 in gaming market in the world. So yeah, gaming companies care way more about Brazil than about Denmark
2023-02-26 00:18
0
3 replies
#52
 | 
Denmark 12inchNRG
Ok, yeah I am sure steelseries sell a tonne of arctis nova pro wireless headsets in the favela lol.
2023-02-26 01:59
0
2 replies
#53
 | 
Brazil Anarchybr
I won’t even waist my time debating with someone so small-minded and prejudiced as you. Have a nice day, buddy
2023-02-26 02:03
0
1 reply
Holy shit you destroyed him
2023-02-26 08:17
0
Not the smartest huh?
2023-02-26 11:42
0
I do wish they'd invite mibr. Or Furia
2023-02-25 22:41
0
1 reply
They must have both declined the invite, since they would both be ranked high enough to get one over some of the teams that did.
2023-02-25 23:56
0
#70
 | 
Australia boblao
theres still a chance im praying imperial some how goes through the NA qualifier. Didnt get to meet fallen last time need him to go through now
2023-02-26 11:18
0
No eternal fire? Really?
2023-02-25 21:18
0
2 replies
#67
 | 
Australia boblao
yea wouldve loved for xfl0ud to come to melbourne but even if they were high enough in the ranking i dont think they wouldve accepeted considering they didnt even try going through the open qualifiers
2023-02-26 10:52
0
1 reply
#69
 | 
Australia boblao
yea they didn't wanna go, they couldve gotten an invite to the Qualifier
2023-02-26 11:17
0
Lets go BNE
2023-02-25 21:30
0
OZI OZI OZI! POG! Ca't wait for the australian crowd xd IS DICK STACEY COMING? XD Don't know the rules but can G2 qualify for this? Would be amazing for jks!
2023-02-25 22:30
0
1 reply
#61
 | 
Denmark 12inchNRG
It's not worth G2s time to attend, they are already a permanent partner, and they already travel too much. If this was an IEM event they might go, but they're also skipping IEM Rio due to travel so I doubt they'd travel to Australia.
2023-02-26 08:29
0
#36
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
United States BGS
Would love to see a 12 team event with: 3 invited teams 2 Australian invited teams 2 Asian invited teams 1 Europe qualifier 1 North American qualifier 1 South American qualifier 1 Australian qualifier 1 Asian qualifier We need to give some of the regions a legitimate chance to grow by showing, even if it's just 1 event, they will have multiple teams being given a chance to qualify for it. Look at how the NBA infiltrated both Europe and Africa. Those regions were pretty butt, outside of a few select guys, until the next generation came around. But one of the reasons the next generation was able to develop more was because of the money and chances they now had compared to the players before them. If you love both CS and Valorant equally and your goal is to compete you might make a decision based off your regions structure within the scene.
2023-02-25 22:38
0
2 replies
#44
 | 
Australia Pennings
There is no val scene in oce, riot took it behind the shed as soon as franchising was announced. It is virtually impossible for an oce team to make it to any riot competition
2023-02-26 00:30
0
#82
 | 
Norway Snaids
+1
2023-02-26 12:36
0
#56
 | 
Hungary szia
love to see it lets go complexity!
2023-02-26 03:07
0
you know it's not gonna be anything interesting when the invited team from EU is BNE
2023-02-26 03:14
0
5 replies
Who do you think they should invite?Maybe FTW?kekw
2023-02-26 12:03
0
1 reply
2023-02-26 21:09
0
U probably didnt watch EF-BNE? The most intense bo3 in many months but sure they can invite teams like SAW instead xD
2023-02-26 12:15
0
1 reply
if they cant even get a big name EU team like NiP, fnatic, MOUZ, OG or even BIG or ENCE, then you know its not gonna be anything interesting SAW arent even close to be a stable Tier 2 team, but i knew people would say shit like this anways..
2023-02-26 21:09
0
+1 at least EF instead of lame bne
2023-02-26 12:30
0
If Complexity doesnt win it...
2023-02-26 08:32
0
1 reply
#83
 | 
Norway Snaids
ez4hallzerk, dry-peeker of the year
2023-02-26 12:37
0
#68
 | 
Australia boblao
bruhhh why cant they make it 12 teams , 8 isn't enough
2023-02-26 11:04
0
#84
Faceit level 6  | 
 | 
Australia Zilox
SEE YA THERE CNTS
2023-02-26 14:16
0
Whoever is excited for this event as an Australian just wow.
2023-02-26 14:54
0
Crazy
2023-02-27 19:13
0
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