Top 5 games to watch this weekend in esports

Don’t know what to watch this weekend? We’ve got you covered. Here are five of the most compelling games happening this weekend across VALORANT, League of Legends, Overwatch and Call of Duty.

Sentinels vs. Gen.G -- Thursday, 5:30 p.m. ET

NA VALORANT Champions Tour Stage 3 Challengers 1 closed qualifier

Sentinels continue to dominate the competition after winning Masters: Reykjavík, but it seems as though their 15-game winning streak has gone under the radar. They haven’t lost since April against Andbox (in Stage 2, Challengers 2). When will they lose? Who can beat them? We’ll get another chance to see if they’ll extend their winning streak or if Gen.G can stop them Thursday. If Sentinels win their first two games this weekend they’ll guarantee themselves a spot in Challengers Playoffs for a chance to qualify for Masters: Berlin.

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Streams on https://www.twitch.tv/nerdstreet

VCT schedule:

• Thursday: Starts at 3 p.m. ET
• Friday: Starts at 3 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Starts at 3 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Starts at 3 p.m. ET

Team Envy vs. 100 Thieves -- Friday, 5 p.m. ET

NA VALORANT Champions Tour Stage 3 Challengers 1 open qualifier

Of the two NA Challengers 1 upper bracket semifinals taking place this weekend, the first one is the wild card match. The second one will involve Sentinels, and who really expects them to lose? The first semi, however, will involve 100 Thieves facing Team Envy. They've been two of the best teams in the North American scene besides Sentinels since Stage 1, and whoever wins will guarantee themselves a spot in Challengers Playoffs for a chance to go to Berlin.

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Streams on https://www.twitch.tv/nerdstreet

Houston Outlaws vs. Dallas Fuel -- Friday, 6 p.m. ET

Overwatch League Summer Showdown

Both the Houston Outlaws and the Dallas Fuel are undefeated in the Summer Showdown. The Dallas Fuel have won one of the two OWL tournaments so far this season, solidifying their reputation as one of the best teams in the league. The Outlaws have been dominant all season and might have a tournament win under their belts if they don't get tripped up again by the Fuel. They will have a disadvantage, since the Fuel will play in front of fans in Arlington, Texas -- the first OWL match with an audience in North America in over a year.

Read more: Outlaws’ Jake discusses return to pro play, what’s next for him

Streams on https://www.youtube.com/overwatchleague

Overwatch League schedule:

• Friday: West division play starts at 3 p.m. ET
• Saturday: East division play starts at 5 a.m. ET
• Saturday: West division play starts at 3 p.m. ET
• Sunday: East division play starts at 5 a.m. ET
• Sunday: West division play starts at 3 p.m. ET

OpTic Chicago vs. New York Subliners -- Sunday, 6 p.m. ET

Call of Duty League

The fifth stage of the Call of Duty League season kicks off this weekend. It’s the final stage before the Call of Duty League Championship (Champs) takes place in August. The most intriguing matchup this weekend is between OpTic Chicago (fifth in the standings) and the New York Subliners (fourth). The Subliners are looking to bounce back from a lackluster performance in Major IV, and OpTic are looking to continue to rise in the standings after an inconsistent season. With the fourth and fifth seeds set to match up in the first round at Champs, this is a game fans won't want to miss.

Read more: Call of Duty League Power Rankings entering Stage 5

CDL Schedule:

• Thursday: Starts at 3 p.m. ET
• Friday: Starts at 3 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Starts at 3 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Starts at 3 p.m. ET

Streams on https://www.youtube.com/CODLeague

100 Thieves vs. TSM -- Sunday, 6 p.m. ET

League of Legends Championship Series

It’s a battle for first place on Sunday as the red-hot 100 Thieves face off against TSM. If they can beat Golden Guardians on Friday and Evil Geniuses on Saturday, 100 Thieves will be riding a 10-game winning streak heading into this matchup. TSM are currently the only team 100T has a losing record against this season (1-2). If 100T can beat TSM they’ll create a little more breathing room for themselves at the top of the standings with only three more weekends left to go in the summer split.

Read more: Winthrop University rises to the occasion in League of Legends

Streams on twitch.tv/lcs

LCS schedule:

• Friday: Starts at 6 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Starts at 5 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Starts at 4 p.m. ET

Lead image credit: Riot