ALGS 2023 Split 1 Playoffs: All qualified teams

Updated: Feb. 4

The Apex Legends Global Series 2022-23 season kicked off this fall with Split 1 in five regions around the world: North America (NA), Europe (EMEA), South America (SA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) North and South. The top teams from each region have qualified for the ALGS Split 1 Playoffs, which will be a LAN tournament taking place in February consisting of 40 of the best teams from around the world. To get you ready for the tournament, here’s a breakdown of the qualified teams from each region.

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North America

• TSM
• XSET
• The Guard
• Esports Arena
• Luminosity Gaming
• NRG
• 100 Thieves
• Oxygen Esports
• Spacestation Gaming
• DarkZero Esports

Photo credit: Joe Brady / ALGS

The field of teams coming from North America is stacked. Let’s start with the team that just qualified as the 10th seed from NA. DarkZero are the reigning ALGS champs, and the roster also won the ALGS Split 2 Playoffs last season when playing under the Reignite banner. There’s no doubt this team is one of the favorites to win the Split 1 Playoffs. Jumping up to NA’s No. 1 seed, you have TSM. The duo of Phillip "ImperialHal" Dosen and Jordan "Reps" Wolfe have played together since 2019 and are two of the most experienced and decorated players in the game. Alongside Evan "Verhulst" Verhulst, TSM won the ALGS Split 1 Playoffs for North America last season and were top 10 at both the Split 2 Playoffs and the ALGS Championship.

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In between these two qualifiers, there are many other championship contenders. XSET’s roster used to play for Team Liquid and finished second at the Split 2 Playoffs. The Guard entered Apex Legends this season with a strong roster led by Cole "Rkn" Prommel, who won Nerd Street's 2022 Winter Championship. It also includes Keon "Keoon" Berghout and Beau "RamBeau" Sheidy, a two-time Nerd Street champion and fifth-place finisher at the ALGS 2022 Championship as a last-minute sub with GMT. 100 Thieves finished third at last season’s championship and were the North American champions in 2021 when they played for Kungarna. Oxygen Esports (formerly HEC) might be the most surprising qualifier. The formerly unsigned roster used to play for Atlanta Premier and won Nerd Street Champs last summer.

EMEA

• Horizon Union
• Acend
• Vexed Gaming
• Passion
• Alliance
• Invictus Gaming International
• Pioneers
• Element 6
• JLINGZ Esports
• GameWard

Photo credit: Joe Brady / ALGS

The Pioneers were the top-performing EMEA team at the ALGS Championship last season when the roster competed for GMT Esports. Maksym "Max-Strafe" Stadniuk wasn’t at the championship due to the war in Ukraine, but Matthew "SirDel" Biggins and Casper "Gnaske" Præstensgaard competed alongside Beau "RamBeau" Sheidy and placed fifth. Alliance also did well at the championship, placing eighth, and made only one roster change in the offseason. Aurora Gaming were the top EMEA qualifier but were replaced by Horizon Union because the Russian players were unable to secure visas. Aurora's Kirill "RANCHES" Rulin, Alexey "Maliwan" Rusinov and Denis "cleaveee" Rassokhin used to play for Russia’s Team Empire and were the top team in EMEA during Split 2 last season. They also weren't able to secure visas for last year's ALGS Championship.

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South America

• Team Singularity
• NorCal Esports
• K1CK
• GODFIRE
• LeaveNoWitness

Photo credit: Joe Brady / ALGS

Singularity was far and away the best team in the region this split. They were the best team in four of the six series they played in Split 1. They were the top team in both South American splits last season too. However, that didn’t translate to good results on the international stage. Team Singularity finished outside the top 20 at both the Split 2 Playoffs and ALGS Championship. The highest placing South American team at LANs has been GODFIRE, who placed 23rd at the ALGS Championship and 14th at the Split 2 Playoffs when the roster played for Elevate.

APAC North

• Fnatic
• Northeption
• Crazy Raccoon
• ENTER FORCE.36
• PULVEREX
• Flora esports
• Fun123
• Ganbare otousan
• Fascination Colors Destroy
• GHS Professional

Photo credit: Joe Brady / ALGS

Fnatic were the top team in their region during Split 1. They were the best APAC North team at the ALGS Championship last season, finishing fourth. Prior to being signed by Fnatic, the trio of Yuga "YukaF" Horie, Keita "MatsuTasu" Matsuura and Takamasa "Meltstera" Kawai placed in the top 10 as GameWith at the Split 2 Playoffs. This is definitely the APAC North team to beat. The other team in this region to keep an eye on is Pulverex. They finished 25th at last season’s championship but placed third at the Split 2 Playoffs when they were known as Team UNITE.

APAC South

• Iron Blood Gaming
• Moist Esports
• DreamFire
• ONIC Esports
• EXO Clan

Photo credit: Joe Brady / ALGS

The winners of the ALGS Championship and Split 2 Playoffs in 2022 came from this region, but DarkZero are now competing in NA. None of the rest of the teams in the region really stood out at the championship or Split 2 Playoffs, so it’s hard to point to one of these teams as a possible contender. EXO Clan are the only team that was at the ALGS Championship that has qualified for the Split 1 Playoffs. The players on Moist Esports’ roster also were at the championship but under the unsigned Team Burger moniker. Reignite/DarkZero weren’t favorites at either ALGS LANs last season, so perhaps we’ll get another surprise team emerging from this region.

Lead photo credit: Joe Brady / ALGS