Five days until the Paris Major opens. Split 2 is done online. The Open 6 results are in the books. The BLAST top-rated-player board has a clean three-month sample.
Here is where we have everyone — top to bottom — heading into the second Major of the year.
Methodology
We weigh, in order:
- Recent Split 2 results (Open 4-6 finishes).
- BLAST's publicly visible last-three-month EU/NA player ratings (zen 7.60, Zach 7.51, Vatira 7.48, reveal and diaz 7.38).
- RLCS points position in regional World Championship standings.
- The eye test, as always.
1. Gentle Mates (EU)
Boston Major champions. Open 5 EU winners over Karmine Corp (4-2). Open 6 EU runners-up to Vitality (2-4). Three consecutive event finals across the year's most demanding split. Whatever metric you care about, they're at the top of it.
2. Karmine Corp (EU)
EU's #1 in official RLCS points. Vatira sits 3rd on BLAST's recent-rating board (7.48). Their split has been the quietest of their contender peers — no Open win in Split 2 — but the underlying mechanical level is unchanged. The "are they peaking at the right time?" question is the most interesting one of the bracket.
3. Team Vitality (EU)
Two Split 2 Opens (Open 4 and Open 6). Lost Boston Major final 4-2 to Gentle Mates. zen leads BLAST's three-month rating board at 7.60, the highest mark visible publicly across EU and NA. There's an argument that Vitality have been the best-performing EU team since Boston ended.
4. NRG (NA)
Open 6 NA winners over Spacestation 4-1. BeastMode posted 9 goals, 7.96 rating in the Grand Final; Daniel added 5 goals, 2 assists, 6 saves. NA's #1 in RLCS points on 90, one point ahead of Shopify. Defending Worlds champions with the form to back the title.
5. Shopify Rebellion (NA)
Open 5 NA winners (4-0 sweep over FUT). NA #2 in points on 89. Firstkiller's individual stretch is the best from any NA player in over a year. The mechanical ceiling on this roster is the highest in their region.
6. Twisted Minds (MENA)
MENA Open 6 winners over R8 Esports (4-2). Currently atop MENA RLCS points on 105, ahead of Team Falcons at 78. M0nkey M00n's championship pedigree gives them the experience edge over the field.
7. Spacestation Gaming (NA)
Open 4 NA winners (Zach signing-in performance: 8.01 rating, 7g/7a/11s). Open 6 NA runners-up to NRG. NA's #3 in points on 69. Capable of beating any team on the right day; not yet capable of stringing those days together at LAN.
8. Ninjas in Pyjamas (EU)
EU's #4 in points on 60. Open 4 EU runners-up (lost 0-4 to Vitality). Quiet Open 5 and 6, but still a top-eight bracket threat at Paris.
9. Team Falcons (MENA)
The most prestigious roster in MENA, and currently the second-best one. 2025 Raleigh Major champions sit at 78 points behind Twisted Minds. Their LAN ceiling remains higher than anyone in their region — but current form says Twisted Minds are the better bet to deliver in Paris.
10. Manchester City Esports (EU)
EU's #5 in points on 45. Seikoo signing in the trade window has stabilized the roster. Realistic top-eight Paris finisher, but they're still one bracket step below the genuine contender tier.
Just outside the top 10
- FUT Esports — NA #4 on 51 pts. New core of Cheese, jstn., Chronic.
- R8 Esports — MENA #3 on 61 pts.
- FURIA — SAM's #1 seed, still the most consistent SAM roster.
- Virtus.pro — NA #5 on 46 pts.
- BS+COMPETITION — SAM Open 6 winners over MIBR (4-2).
What we're watching at Paris
- Does the EU top-3 sort itself? Karmine, Gentle Mates, Vitality. One of them is going to win the Major. Which one feels nearly genuinely random right now.
- Does Twisted Minds make a deep run? A semifinal would change the entire MENA hierarchy.
- Can Shopify Rebellion break into a Major top-4 from NA? No NA team has done it in over a year of international events.
- Does the Paris home crowd actually shift KC's level? They're the most-watched team and the most-pressured. Could go either way.
Paris kicks off Wednesday May 20. We'll have daily recaps.