It’s important to acknowledge that the women’s scene in esports is a tough landscape, with plenty of challenges that all female and mixed-gender teams face daily. Even though many organizations have pulled back and stereotypes persist, they are determined to play at the highest level and build a sustainable future for women in esports.

Both Mariana “LyttleZ” Sabia of O PLANO and Ana “Zana” Queiroz from BIG Equipa address the misconception of women’s lack of skill. LyttleZ emphasizes the lack of opportunity, while Zana highlights the role of underrepresentation: “Since we don’t have any representation in the highest tier of competitive gaming, people assume that women just don’t have ‘it’.”

Giovanna “yungher” Yungh from MIBR FE stresses that gender plays no role in one’s skill level: “Competition is about mindset, training, and teamwork, not about who you are.” Marissa “madss” Dasta, who is playing on the mixed-gender team Revel, adds: “It’s all about the time spent and how you learn/who you learn from. Resources are a big part of success.”

Unfortunately, funding and support from the industry are severely lacking, making it incredibly hard for female teams to sustain a professional lifestyle. “We rely a lot on a couple of tournament organizers, and just having to live with the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen every year really adds a ton of pressure and stress to our lives,” Zana explains.

The lack of investment and representation directly impacts their ability to level up. “Many male teams still don’t accept training against women’s teams, so how do you expect that we improve our game if we can’t play against good teams,” LyttleZ states. No consistency in facing top-tier competitors is a significant barrier to their growth.

The key to advancing the women’s CS2 scene lies in providing more competitive opportunities. LyttleZ and Gabriele Ferrari (Team Manager at O PLANO) argue, “The industry should create more tournaments for girls so that we get to play more and be seen, bringing new organizations into the female CS2 scene. Consequently, more women will be getting a salary to play CS2.”

The ability to compete at a high level is crucial to overcoming negative stereotypes, increasing visibility, and progressing as a team. “Competing in the CCT is a huge opportunity for us as a team. It’s a place where we can showcase our potential,” says Yungher. Samantha “Zazu” Blair of Lotus FE echoes this sentiment, “Mixed gender events like the CCT mean opportunity for us women. Not many female teams are given the opportunity to show what we have outside of ESL Impact, so being able to compete at a high level with notable names in the scene is huge for us.”

Karina “kaahSENSEI” Takahashi from Furia FE asserts, “It’s really important to compete in CCT and every big tournament for us and our scene. We need to play against everyone to reach our goal and play big tournaments with an ONLINE stage to show and improve our game. We need to compete in any event we can, we are not limited to playing just in the women’s scene, it doesn’t even make sense to us because we want to play CS and not just ‘women’s CS’.” 

Both Madss and Zazu emphasize the critical role of visibility for women in CS2. Madss states, “It’s all about exposure and getting your name into the pot. The more women we have competing in these events, the faster it’ll become a normal thing.” Zazu adds, “If we were given the opportunity to play against notable names and a higher level of competition in the public eye, it would present more opportunities for women to get involved.”

We’re proud that CCT can offer a platform for change, giving women the recognition they deserve. We’ve been thrilled to see these teams compete across all regions, and we’re invested in their future growth. Their potential is undeniable, and we’re excited to keep watching them succeed. 

Their advice to aspiring players is a testament to their unwavering spirit. “Don’t give up! There will be times when things get hard and you may think about giving up, but remember that this is the easy decision and in the future, you’ll be thinking what if I kept playing CS2?” LyttleZ urges. Zazu encourages, “Get your name out there and always believe in yourself. I believe in you <3.” Yungher adds, “I would say: don’t give up and don’t let anyone make you feel less capable because you’re a woman. Believe in your potential, train hard, and look for other players and teams that can support your growth.”

Of course, the CCT is just one step in a larger journey. The future of the scene depends on our collective action, ensuring that its potential is fully realized. Let’s celebrate and support the women who are competing, coaching, managing, and contributing to the whole not just this month but beyond Women’s History Month!

Thank you to all the teams for sharing your stories; we’re excited to see what you achieve next!

The post Breaking Barriers: Celebrating the Women Competing in CCT! appeared first on Champion of Champions Tour.

Dates: 14 May to 1 June

• Play-Ins: 14 May to 19 May
• Group Stage: 20 to 28 May
• Main Event: 29 May to 1 June

Format:

• Play-Ins: GSL (4 Groups of 4 Teams) + Deciders
  • 16 Teams Total
    • 16 Invited
  • 4 Teams advance to Group Stage
• Group Stage: Swiss Stage
  • 16 Teams Total
    • 12 Invited + 4 Qualified from Play-Ins
    • 8 Teams advance to Main Event
• Main Event: Single Elimination
  • 16 Teams Total
    • 8 Invited + 8 Qualified from Group Stage

36 Team Invites:

• 34 From Europe VRS – Start on Rank 9
• 2 Wildcard Slots
• Distribution:
  • 8 Teams to Main Event
  • 12 Teams to Group Stage
  • 16 Teams to Play-Ins (14 Invites + 2 Wildcards)

Invite Date – 18 April 2025 // VRS Publication Date – Most recent available

Initial Seed VRS – Most recent available at the start of the first stage of the event

Location: Online, Europe

Prize-Pool: $50,000:

• 1st Place – $22,000
• 2nd Place – $10,000
• 3-4th Place – $5,000
• 5-8th Place – $2,000

Tournament Organizer: CCT

The post Champion of Champions Tour Global Season 3 Europe Series 2 Additional Information appeared first on Champion of Champions Tour.

Dates: 30 April to 18 May

• Play-Ins: 30 April to 5 May
• Group Stage: 6 to 14 May
• Main Event: 15 to 18 May

Format:

• Play-Ins: GSL (4 Groups of 4 Teams) + Deciders
  • 16 Teams Total
    • 16 Invited
  • 4 Teams advance to Group Stage
• Group Stage: Swiss Stage
  • 16 Teams Total
    • 12 Invited + 4 Qualified from Play-Ins
    • 8 Teams advance to Main Event
• Main Event: Single Elimination
  • 16 Teams Total
    • 8 Invited + 8 Qualified from Group Stage

36 Team Invites:

• 34 From Europe VRS – Start on Rank 9
• 2 Wildcard Slots
• Distribution:
  • 8 Teams to Main Event
  • 12 Teams to Group Stage
  • 16 Teams to Play-Ins (14 Invites + 2 Wildcards)

Invite Date – 8 April 2025 // VRS Publication Date – Most recent available

Location: Online, Europe

Prize-Pool: $50,000:

• 1st Place – $22,000
• 2nd Place – $10,000
• 3-4th Place – $5,000
• 5-8th Place – $2,000

The post Champion of Champions Tour Global Season 3 Europe Series 1 Additional Information appeared first on Champion of Champions Tour.

Tournament Format

The event will showcase an 8-team Double Elimination Bracket with a structure that guarantees high-stakes matchups throughout, featuring a total of 14 Best-of-Three (BO3) across the four-day event.

Elite Teams and Global Competition

With exclusive invitations extended to the top-ranked Tier 2 teams, the Champion of Champions Tour Global Finals continues its mission of elevating emerging talent and bridging the gap between Tier 2 and the highest levels of competition. As a pinnacle event in the CCT circuit, the Global Finals will provide a crucial proving ground for teams aiming to break into the elite ranks.

A Legacy of Competitive Excellence

Following last year’s success, the CCT Global Finals remains a key fixture in the competitive ecosystem, providing fans with world-class Counter-Strike while offering rising teams an opportunity to cement their legacy.

More details, including broadcast information and team announcements, will be revealed in the coming weeks. Stay updated by following x.com/cctour_gg and visiting www.cctour.gg.

Additional Information

• Format: Double Elimination BO3 Matches
• 8 Team Invites:
  • 6 From Europe VRS – Start on Rank 9
  • 2 From Americas VRS – 1 for SA and 1 for NA, both starting no Rank 1

• Invite Date – 24 March 2025 // VRS Publication Date – Most recent available
• Location: Online, Europe
• Prize-Pool: $150,000:
  • 1st Place – $75,000
  • 2nd Place – $35,000
  • 3rd Place – $20,000
  • 4th Place – $10,000
  • 5-6th Place – $3,500
  • 7-8h Place – $1,500

The post Champion of Champions Tour Global Finals Announced with $150,000 Prize Pool appeared first on Champion of Champions Tour.