RLCS Winter Major 2023: All qualified Rocket League teams

With the Rocket League Championship Series winter split regional play now over, it’s almost time for the Winter Major. The second Major of the 2022-23 RLCS season will take place in San Diego, California, from April 6 to 9. The tournament will include 16 of the best Rocket League teams from around the world according to the following regional breakdown:

• North America (5 teams)
• Europe (5 teams)
• South America (2 teams)
• Oceania (2 teams)
• Middle East and North Africa (1 team)
• Asia Pacific (1 team)

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The 16 teams have been divided into four groups of four. North America’s Gen.G will get a chance to defend their title on home soil, but the hottest North American team entering the tournament is FaZe Clan. There are several European contenders too, most notably Karmine Corp and Team Liquid. Not to be overlooked, teams outside of NA and EU such as Team Secret and Team Falcons have proven they can make deep tournament runs at international events. To get you ready for the next RLCS Major, here’s a primer on each of the 16 teams.

FaZe Clan

North America

Photo credit: Psyonix

FaZe have consistently produced excellent results regionally since last year but have fallen just short on the international stage. They were semifinalists at the Fall Major and at last year’s world championship and Winter Major.

Read more: FaZe Clan announce their first women’s VALORANT team

FaZe are entering the Major hot with two regional wins in a row. They’re in a group with fellow North American contender G2 whom they beat to win that second final in a row. If they can beat G2, they should finish atop their group en route to another Major playoff run.

Gen.G

North America

Photo credit: Psyonix

Gen.G are the defending Major champions and only lost three times during the winter split but only won one regional event. Two of those losses were to FaZe, who beat Gen.G in the second regional final and then in the semifinals of the third regional. Clearly, FaZe have their number, but luckily they aren’t in their group at the Major. Gen.G will have to contend with European team Oxygen Esports, fellow North American team Complexity and Oceania’s Pioneers in Group D. Oxygen were the only team that beat Gen.G at the Fall Major so that should be a spicy matchup that should determine who finishes first in the group.

G2 Esports

North America

Photo credit: Psyonix

G2 won the Winter Major last year in California. Will history repeat itself? Despite not being an obvious favorite like fellow North American teams Gen.G and FaZe, G2 are still definitely a threat to win this tournament. Jacob "JKnaps" Knapman and Reed "Chicago" Wilen are two of the most experienced Rocket League pros, and together with Massimo "Atomic" Franceschi, they have been one of the best teams over the past year. From winning last year’s Winter’s Major to finishing second at the world championship, G2 have strung together some excellent results. They enter this year’s Winter Major having finished second at the third NA regional event of the winter split, their best result all season.

Complexity Gaming

North America

Complexity started off the winter split hot in reaching the final of the first North American regional event, which they lost to Gen.G. They quietly put together a solid split, reaching the semifinals of the subsequent two regionals. Their only losses all split were to Gen.G (twice) and FaZe (once). For Complexity and the duo of Victor "Reysbull" Duran Parra and Lautaro "ajg" Gusinsky, this is their first Major appearance since the 2021 Fall Major. Cristian "crr" Fernandez will be making his Major debut.

Dignitas

North America

Dignitas used to be a European powerhouse in Rocket League. They won the Season 5 Finals, were finalists at the Season 6 Finals and were semifinalists in Season 7. Now, they’ll be making their debut on the international stage representing North America. Dignitas battled to claim the fifth and final spot at the Major for North America during the third regional event. The young team of Andrew "Andy" Nolan, Andres "dreaz" Jordan and Jordan "Evoh" Manley took advantage of a bootcamp at Nerd Street’s own Localhost Philadelphia venue to qualify. They beat perennial NA contender Spacestation Gaming and had a few other results break their way to ultimately secure their spot in San Diego.

Karmine Corp

Europe

Photo credit: Psyonix

This French organization once again dominated Europe during the winter split, winning two of the three regional events and finishing second in the one they didn’t win, so they enter the Winter Major with high expectations. Karmine Corp entered the Fall Major with similarly high expectations and cruised to the playoffs only to lose to fellow European team Moist Esports in the quarterfinals. They won’t have to contend with Moist, the perennial European finalists, at this event. However, they’ll face some stiff competition from Team Falcons, Team Vitality and Dignitas in their group. Their biggest competition though would likely come in the playoffs if they face Team Liquid, a team that has beaten them twice in regional finals this season.

Team Liquid

Europe

Photo credit: Psyonix

Just like in the Fall Major, Team Liquid enter the Winter Major as the reigning regional European champs. They beat Karmine Corp both times. In fact, they’re the only team that has beaten KCorp twice in a final this season, so if they happen to meet in the playoffs of this event, it’ll be a toss-up. First, Team Liquid will have to make it out of their group, which appears to be a relatively easy one for them. Ground Zero Gaming and Gaimin Gladiators come from two of the weaker regions, and although Team Secret had a top four finish at the Fall Major, Team Liquid beat them at that tournament.

Read more: Biggest esports tournaments and winners of 2023

Oxygen Esports

Europe

Photo credit: Psyonix

They’re the only team besides Karmine Corp and Team Liquid that have won a European regional event this season. Although that win was way back in October, the team has arguably leveled up since then. They added former Moist Esports player Finlay "rise." Ferguson ahead of the winter split and were semifinalists at all three regional events this split. Rise brings a lot of international LAN tournament success to this team. The team will have a golden opportunity to prove themselves when they face fellow group mates and reigning Major champs Gen.G. Karmine Corp and Team Liquid are the European favorites, but Oxygen are firmly dark horse contenders at this event.

Team Vitality

Europe

Team Vitality are back on the international stage for the first time since the 2021 Fall Major. The team has undergone a lot of changes since then. RLCS champs Victor "Fairy Peak" Locquet and Alexandre "Kaydop" Courant are no longer on the team, and only Yanis "Alpha54" Champenois remains from that Fall Major team. He’s now joined by Andrea "Radosin" Radovanović and Thiméo "saizen" Corcuff who are looking to return the French organization to its former glory. Vitality finished second to Karmine Corp at the first European regional event of the winter split.

G1

Europe

No, that’s not a typo, G1 and G2 are at the Winter Major AND they’re in the same group. Most fans will be familiar with the highly decorated G2, but G1 are a relatively new organization that was founded in late 2021 by former NFL player Kenny Vaccaro. G1 entered Rocket League last fall, and this is the first RLCS Major the organization has qualified for. The most notable name on this all-Spanish roster is former Team BDS player Marc "MaRc_By_8." Domingo Ruiz, and the roster also includes Sergio "AtomiK" Pérez Cortés and Ivan "DORITO" Ruiz Jiménez. By the way, G2 also has a player named Atomic on their roster, so peak confusion will ensue when these two teams play!

Team Secret

South America

Photo credit: Psyonix

Team Secret had their breakout performance at the Fall Major where they beat Version1 in the quarterfinals and finished in the top four alongside European and North American powerhouse teams. They rode that wave of success to a solid winter split in which they won one regional and finished second at another. Another playoff run wouldn’t be surprising, and there’s a good chance they at least reach the quarterfinals of this Major too. Besides Team Liquid, neither Ground Zero Gaming nor Gaimin Gladiators are contenders in Group C.

KRÜ Esports

South America

KRÜ have made a name for themselves internationally in VALORANT, and now the organization will be making its debut on the international stage in Rocket League. KRÜ won one South American regional event and finished second at another this winter split. They qualified for the Major by beating Exceed in a tiebreaker match after the two teams finished the split tied for second in the region. It was the second straight split in which KRÜ finished tied for second. During the fall, KRÜ tied with Team Secret and just missed out on the Fall Major after losing a tiebreaker to them.

Pioneers

Oceania

Photo credit: Psyonix

The Pioneers will once again be representing Oceania at an RLCS Major. They qualified for the Fall Major too. The Pioneers made one roster change heading into the winter, adding talented 15-year-old Hunter "Hntr" Tomeski in place of Lachlan "Superlachie" Gordon, who went to Ground Zero Gaming. The team reached the final of all three regional events and won the last one. Given the fact the team didn’t win any games at the Fall Major, expectations are low for this team heading into the Winter Major, especially since they’re in a group with reigning Major champs Gen.G.

Ground Zero Gaming

Oceania

Ground Zero Gaming are returning to the international stage for the first time since the 2021 Fall Major. After losing in the semifinals of all three of Oceania’s regional events in the fall, Ground Zero leveled up during the winter split. The team won the first two regional finals and finished second in the last one. The team’s improvement was perhaps due to Lachlan "Superlachie" Gordon, who was a member of the Pioneers team that qualified for the Fall Major and last year’s world championship. Ground Zero are in a group with Team Secret, Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators.

Team Falcons

Middle East and North Africa

Photo credit: Psyonix

Team Falcons once again dominated the Middle East this winter, winning two of three regional events. In fact, the trio of Ahmad "Ahmad" Abdullah, Khalid "oKhaliD" Qasim and Mohammed "trk511" Alotaibi have been the kings of the region since last year when they were representing Sandrock Gaming. They qualified for last year’s Winter Major with Sandrock but weren’t able to travel to North America. Now, they’re set to make their North American debut with Falcons. The Falcons have a good chance to make it out of their group and into the playoffs. Besides Karmine Corp who should top Group B, Team Falcons should be fighting with Team Vitality and Dignitas for second in this group.

Gaimin Gladiators

Asia-Pacific

Gaimin Gladiators will be returning to the international stage for the first time since last year’s world championship. The Gladiators qualified to be APAC’s sole representative at the Winter Major after winning one regional event and finishing second at two others. The team has been placed in a group with Team Secret, Team Liquid and Ground Zero Gaming and will be looking for its first win at an RLCS international event.

Lead photo credit: Psyonix