Playoffs Schedule Confirmed For IEM Rio Major Champions Stage

• Outsiders vs Fnatic
• Cloud9 vs MOUZ
• Heroic vs Team Spirit
• NAVI vs FURIA

The IEM Rio 2022 Major has reached the playoffs, with four matches to kick off the Champions Stage of the event now set across the final weekend. After both Challengers Stage and Legends Stage graced the Riocentro, the seven matches to crown the next Major champions will take place at the Jeunesse Arena.

Fans said goodbye to ENCE, Team Liquid and BIG at the conclusion of the Legends Stage, leaving Natus Vincere, MOUZ and Team Spirit to face off against the awaiting teams of Cloud9, Fnatic, Outsiders, FURIA and Heroic who were already through to playoffs.

Odds correct at time of publishing

Outsiders vs Fnatic

Outsiders vs Fnatic betting odds

• Outsiders: 1.57
• Fnatic: 2.42

The first quarterfinal game of the IEM Major Rio pits one of CS:GO’s most iconic names against players who have risen up in recent years to become a staple of top-tier Counter-Strike. Outsiders have shown strong form despite losing YEKINDAR, a player many saw as crucial to their success, but who had failed to make playoffs with his new team, Liquid.

On the other hand, Fnatic took the long route, almost getting eliminated in the Challengers Stage, but bouncing back and taking important wins against BIG, ENCE and Ninjas in Pyjamas to make it this far.

Cloud9 vs MOUZ

Cloud9 vs MOUZ betting odds

• Cloud9: 1.40
• MOUZ: 2.98

With heavy hitters FaZe Clan, Team Vitality and Liquid all eliminated, Cloud9 are not just favourites in their game against up and coming squad MOUZ, but to potentially win IEM Rio outright. Fielding a Major winner in HObbit, Cloud9’s young lineup boasts more experience than MOUZ, an organisation that recently promoted multiple players from their MOUZ NXT academy team into the main squad. Players such as torzsi have struggled to find impact but will need to show up to make the series competitive.

Heroic vs Team Spirit

Heroic vs Team Spirit betting odds

• Heroic: 1.61
• Team Spirit: 2.30

Friday’s first game will see Heroic and Spirit face off against each other, with two very different stories. Heroic, a stable roster that has maintained a core in the top 30 for 134 weeks, versus Spirit, a team that recently lost their star AWPer and has only a fifth of that history.

It is hard to critique Heroic, but Spirit pulled off the upset against Liquid to make it through to playoffs and ruined multiple pick’ems in the process. Not many had their eyes on Spirit before, but after their Legends Stage results, this should all change for however long their run continues.

NAVI vs FURIA

NAVI vs FURIA betting odds

• NAVI: 1.50
• FURIA: 2.58

Natus Vincere were able to defeat BIG in their 2-2 decider match and will be taking on hometown heroes FURIA in the final quarterfinal of the IEM Rio Major. Many would have predicted this match as a possible grand final and many pick’ems will be ruined here for those still in the running for a Diamond Coin.

s1mple has not been in his usual form, but it would not be unheard of for him to truly come alive now that the stakes are highest. FURIA will have the power of the Brazilian crowd behind them, it will be thousands vs. NAVI rather than just five players in the server. Home crowd advantages didn’t help Imperial or 00Nation, but FURIA is a very different beast.

The first day of Champions Stage games at the IEM Rio Major will start from 17:00 GMT, with two quarterfinal games to be played per day. Bet on IEM Rio Major with Midnite.

Picture copyright: ESL | Adela Sznajder