The Shanghai Major's opening stage brings together 16 highly competitive teams that survived challenging qualifiers. While some teams are clear favorites, several underdogs could potentially cause major upsets.

Expected Top Performers:

• Virtus.pro
• Team Liquid
• Complexity
• BIG
• The MongolZ
• Cloud9
• Imperial Esports
• MIBR

Dark Horse Teams to Watch

Passion UA Created in August 2023, this Ukrainian team quickly rose to the top 30 globally. They've already proven their potential by defeating established teams like Virtus.pro, Team Spirit, and Astralis during RMRs. Their upcoming match against BIG could be their stepping stone to the second stage.

Rare Atom Making an impressive climb from rank 198th to 58th in just one month, this Chinese team shows remarkable potential. Their home-ground advantage and local support could provide the extra edge needed for a breakthrough performance.

Wildcard Led by Peter "stanislaw" Jarguz, this international roster dominated the American RMR, securing victories against prominent teams like Team Liquid, paiN Gaming, and 9z Team. Their recent performance suggests they're capable of delivering significant upsets in the tournament.

These underdogs have demonstrated the skill and determination necessary to compete at the highest level, making the opening stage of the Shanghai Major potentially more unpredictable than expected.

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