The time is almost upon us. After seven weeks of online groups and playoffs, we have all our teams locked in, and the stage is set for the ESL Impact Season 2 finals! In this blog I will go through all the teams and the storylines you need to know for the finals.
Whether you're a diehard fan, a casual viewer, or completely new to the ESL Impact circuit, whatever your story, I've got you covered!
THE COMPETITION
The ESL Impact Season 2 finals will be taking place at DreamHack Winter in Jönköping, Sweden. Much like the Season 1 finals, there are 8 teams that join us from five different regions. Two come from each of the 3 regional divisions - Europe, North America, and South America - and the final two teams are our wildcard teams, from open qualifiers in South Africa and Asia.
THE TEAMS
Nigma Galaxy
ANa 
vilga twenty3 tory 
Kat Coach 
JTR
Who are they? The reigning champions of course! Nigma Galaxy are the number one team in the women's scene, having won both ESL Impact Season 1 and ESL Impact Valencia this year. The core of ANa, twenty3, and vilga have been together since early 2020, bringing in the additional firepower of tory in 2021, and adding the lurk prowess of Kat at the beginning of the year.
What makes them special? NGX have dominated the women's scene this year, answering the questions many had about who the top team would be when international LANs finally recommenced. Since finalising their roster with Kat, they have looked unstoppable in the women's circuit, and have not lost a Best of 3. They are the team to beat, and everyone will be aiming to do just that.
Who should you watch out for? The scariest thing about Nigma Galaxy is that all 5 players can take over a game at any given moment. Even IGL and scene veteran vilga was crowned MVP of ESL Impact Valencia for her lights out performance. But the true superstar of this galaxy is AWPer ANa, MVP of ESL Impact S1, and the highest rated player on LAN this year. Lightning fast and unyielding in a post-plant clutch, an in-form ANa is unstoppable.
Taking their 3rd trophy here would be legacy building.
NOFEAR5
Elizabeth Victoria f6tal Stormy Ksu Coach R3x
Who are they? If you'd just hopped out of a time machine from 2019, this roster would look very familiar. The CIS squad has been under the NOFEAR5 banner for many years, with minor adjustments to the line-up. A lacklustre result in S1 saw them change up the roster for S2, heralded by the return of AWPer Victoria.
What makes them special? NOFEAR5 are the best candidate for "dark horse" of the event, having just about scraped through the European group stage, before eliminating event favourites NAVI Javelins in the playoffs to qualify for the finals. Brawly and bold - they live up their namesake!
Who should you watch out for? Victoria. The impact of her AWP cannot be understated, and is a big reason this team will be playing on LAN. An honourable mention to Ksu as well, who pulled them across the line in the high pressure qualification match against NAVI.
With a new org and new additions, do they have what it takes to compete with the best?
CLG Red
Goosebreeder 
uhKelsie madss 
Kaoday 
BiBiAhn Coach 
flashie
Who are they? A household name of women's CS, the North American super team - now gone international - has been unstoppable domestically this season. Following disappointing results at the S1 finals and Valencia, the roster went under a complete rebuild, with only captain GooseBreeder and Kelsie remaining. An open call was put out by coach flashie for any aspiring players to reach out - and the result saw the team bring in madss (Please Send Help), Kaoday (NSC), and BiBiAhn (Mindfreak). An ambitious move, but will it pay off?
What makes them special? Going into this year many considered CLG Red to be the best women's CS team. They were proven wrong, as FURIA and MIBR took them down at both LANs - before they even got to test their metal against Nigma Galaxy. But if there was ever a woman who will stop at nothing to be the best, it is GooseBreeder, and her leadership has made her an icon of the team and of the scene.
Who should you watch out for? BiBiAhn. And you can't call me out for regional bias because the numbers speak for themselves - the Aussie rifler is the highest rated player of the entirety of the online group stages!
Will this be the CLG Red that finally takes the crown?
Evil Geniuses Gold
jesscas garden milk empathy 
PiggyKiki Coach onter
Who are they? 3/5 of the Please Send Help roster from S1, with the addition of NA veteran and ex-Dignitas player milk, and upcoming talent empathy. Signed at the start of the season by EG, the squad has quickly asserted themselves as contenders to CLG Red's spot on the North American throne.
What makes them special? While the core didn't find the success they were after at the S1 finals, the approach of bringing in a veteran of the scene along with a young prodigy is a lot to be excited about. They are playing an exciting new brand of CS, and their flawless season shows they mean business.
Who should you watch out for? Empathy has been a revelation for this team, and the player to watch for them on the big stage. The question will be whether her online success can translate at her first international LAN - particularly with in game calling responsibilities.
Is it too soon for EG Gold to be a title contender, or could they dethrone CLG Red before they barely have a chance to touch the crown?
FURIA
kaah GaBi izaa Olga mari Coach segalla
Who are they? A team with a vendetta! The runner up at both the S1 finals and Valencia, the South American superstars have cemented themselves as the best in their region, and one of the best in the world. Success for FURIA this season would be nothing less than taking the title. A third silver medal would not suffice.
What makes them special? Okay it may be cliché, but it's completely true - FURIA play the fast, aggressive style of CS that you'd expect of their namesake. They also rock the highest level of rifle firepower across the board, with a uniquely strong T side - a huge boon in a CT dominated meta!
Who should you watch out for? It can be no one else but Olga! Just behind ANa in the stats department at the S1 finals, and just ahead in Valencia, the Brazilian is currently the highest rated and most impactful rifler on LAN.
This is their chance. Will FURIA finally get their revenge on Nigma Galaxy?
B4 Esports
yungher goddess julih nani poppins Coach darkpsy
Who are they? Our second Brazilian team is no stranger to the stage - but did so in S1 under the Black Dragons banner. Back again for S2 and with the addition of poppins, who couldn't play in S1 because she was too young! The team looks even stronger this time around, and posted a flawless season despite sharing a group with Valencia semi-finalists MIBR - dropping just one map the entire season.
What makes them special? Not only are they incredibly cracked at Counter Strike, this is also a team full of personality! This is a team of individual playmakers, whether that's multi-kill site holds, or jumping KQLY-style shots to deny bomb plants - you are guaranteed to be entertained watching them.
Who should you watch out for? The player to watch has to be the young gun of poppins. Her addition has lifted the game of B4 to new heights, and the impact of her rifling cannot be understated. Like with EG Gold however, a question remains as to how she'll stand up at her first international LAN.
If poppins pops off B4 won't stop! Could B4 surpass FURIA - and the rest of the world - this time around?
ATK Fe
M3gzz Graceyy leafy 2SSB KayC Coach blades
Who are they? Not to be confused with ATK.gg, who played in the S1 finals and were supported as a second team by the org, ATK Fe are their main team and the top dogs of South Africa. 2SSB and M3gzz (Meggy Weggy) both played in the S1 finals as part of the ATK.gg line-up, while the rest of the squad will be fresh faced to the international LAN experience.
What makes them special? This is a team that knows what adversity is and how to overcome it. In an isolated region they have risen to the top, while dealing with full time commitments and the rolling power outages of their country. Despite these difficulties, and the struggles they add to trying to prac, scrim, and play officials, they have never stopped working on chasing their passion. They know they are the underdogs, and they have a point to prove in Sweden.
Who should you watch out for? 2SSB, the AWP and IGL of the team, was the best performing player for ATK.gg. Following the S1 finals in Dallas, 2SSB and M3gzz got to work putting together the best women's team South Africa has seen. She's also kind of a badass, just ask her about the story behind her tattoo!
The last time South Africa graced the international stage, they took a 16-0 loss to Nigma Galaxy. Can this revamped roster take down a titan?
HSG
Hazel 
GFi Xiaowu Argent hffo Coach fluckz
Who are they? Another team for the time machine users, HSG (Hao Sheng Gaming) join us from the Asian wildcard qualifier, and features a core that has been playing together since 2019, the latest addition being Argent in 2021. They last played on LAN at the WESG 2019 Female China finals, under Tyloo Fe!
What makes them special? This is a team that has never given up or called it quits, despite the difficulties of the pandemic and lack of events in their region. They give credit to their manager MiChaEl for supporting them - but just as much credit must be given to their passion for the game that has never once dwindled. Now, they finally have their chance to prove what their region is capable of on the international stage.
Who should you watch out for? Hazel is one of the veterans of the team and also one of their stars, rocking the AWP for the squad. With plenty of experience, including on LAN, under her belt, any success this team finds at the finals will be built on the veterans like her and GFi.
If we had pick'ems for ESL Impact, you can bet HSG would be ruining everyone's!
WHO WILL RISE?
Thank you for making it all the way to the end! Hopefully you're now left with a good knowledge of the teams and the players that will be battling it out for the title. Will Nigma Galaxy cement their position as the best in the world with a third consecutive trophy? Or will a new contender rise?
Find out when it all kicks off from November 25 - 27!
#GGFORALL
