ESL Impact Season 7 set to start with notable omissions

The two LAN winners of 2024 return, but a host of organizations have dropped support for their women's teams ahead of season 7.

Imperial Valkyries are looking for a ninth successive Impact title

Imperial Valkyries and FURIA fe are among the teams that will return for ESL Impact Season 7 starting February 26.

The two teams, the first and third best in 2024, are now part of a minority of funded rosters as several organizations dropped their women's teams after the conclusion of Season 6.

Spirit fe, ENCE Athena, Astralis W, TSM Impact, VP.Angels, and NAVI Javelins are all absent from this season after releasing their players.

NAVI Javelins, who placed second in the Women's Team of the Year at the HLTV Awards last year, cited an "unsustainable business model" as the reason for their decision.

Read more

NAVI quit women's CS, cite "unsustainable" business model

HSG fe are also absent, suffering from ESL's decision to remove the Asia-Pacific part of the league. There was no Asian spot in Season 6 either, where HSG fe qualified for the European portion, but Olga "⁠Olga⁠" Rodrigues and company did not compete in the Season 7 qualifiers. The team has not played together in a FACEIT-ran tournament since they won an EU Cash Cup on October 5.

The collapse of support has, however, led to an intriguing rostermania, with NAVI Javelins splitting into four teams: Eco Warriors, where Wiktoria "⁠vicu⁠" Janicka joins Julia "⁠juliano⁠" Kiran; Akuma, where Martyna "⁠LETi⁠" Owsik and Angelika "⁠Angelka⁠" Kozłowska re-unite; a full-french lineup for Mayline-Joy "⁠ASTRA⁠" Champliaud in Prototype Blaze; and a spot in BIG EQUIPA for talented rifler Hania "⁠Hanka⁠" Pudlis.

In Brazil, the core of Fluxo Demons has moved to MIBR fe as they look to turn a promising 2024 into a serious challenge in 2025.

Further North, FlyQuest RED also made changes, adding Marie "⁠marie⁠" Ellen Toft Sørensen from Astralis W and linking up with North American veteran in-game leader Alan "⁠Shakezullah⁠" Hardeman as their new coach.

Imperial Valkyries have a target on their back ahead of Season 7

All of these teams will have one goal for the upcoming season: to knock Imperial Valkyries off their perch.

The team around Ana "⁠ANa⁠" Dumbravă have won all eight ESL Impact LAN titles, although they did lose offline to FURIA fe in Brazil late last year.

Judging from the Tradeit Masters cup that provides our sole sample size for 2025, vicu's Eco Warriors may provide the sternest test within Europe after taking the Valkyries to overtime on the decider of a BO5 grand final.

All three regional seasons start on February 26 and end on April 13, with eight teams qualifying for the LAN finals that will be held concurrently with IEM Dallas on May 23-25.

Europe
Imperial Valkyries
Eco Warriors
AKA HERO KAJO
CS2News Ladies
nomercy fe
Prototype Blaze

Spray and Slay
Akuma
BIG EQUIPA
NIP Impact
Let Her Cook
DMS

North America
Supernova Comets
Black Mold
Ghost
Nouns fe

FlyQuest RED
MEGA JUNERS
Nyx Empyre
Lumen fe

South America
Atrix
MIBR fe
FURIA fe
Bounty Hunters fe

thekillaz fe
Messitas
Quem Sao Elas
Brave Bears