The Last Chance Qualifier wrapped on Wednesday, and the field for the 20th edition of EMEA Masters is officially locked in. Eight teams punched their tickets out of LCQ, joining the top seeds already in, and the Main Event kicks off September 26 running through October 2.

📊 By the Numbers

🏆 20th edition of EMEA Masters
👥 43 teams total across 13 ERLs
📅 LCQ concluded Sep 23
📅 Main Event: Sep 26 – Oct 2
🎟️ 8 teams advanced out of LCQ
🔁 Auto invites: Solary (Winter champ) + Galions (Spring champ)

The LCQ Gauntlet Is Over

Eight spots, and eight teams found a way through. LODIS, Skillcamp, Unicorns of Love Sexy Edition, Otter Side, UCAM, SU Esports, Barca Esports, and Gamespace Mediterranean College Esports all won two series in their groups to lock in Main Event places.

Group 1 was the one to watch. Skillcamp, the LFL's representative, didn't have a clean run at all — they dropped a game to NLC's Arctic Pandas and then lost a full series to LODIS before recovering to secure their spot anyway. That's the kind of qualification that means more than a clean sweep. LODIS, meanwhile, came out of the Rift Legends as the third seed and looked far more comfortable doing it, leaning on veteran presence to survive what was easily the group's toughest path.

The Rivalry Waiting at the Top

Whatever happens in the group stage, the story hanging over this entire tournament is Solary and Galions. These two have played out one of LFL's best rivalries all year — Solary took the Winter title 3-0 over Galions, and Galions answered with a reverse sweep in the Spring final, also 3-0. Both are in this field on auto invites as reigning champions of their respective splits, and if the bracket lets them meet again, that's the series people will be talking about regardless of what round it happens in.

Karmine Corp Blue also deserves a mention here without anyone needing to explain why — five EMEA Masters titles is more than any other org has managed, academy roster or not, and they're a threat in this field until they're not.

What's Actually at Stake

Beyond the trophy, EMEA Masters continues to function as the proving ground underneath the LEC. A strong run here is how ERL teams build a case for a look higher up, and for orgs like Los Ratones and Karmine Corp Blue, this stage is exactly where that leap has happened before.

The group stage locks in over the next week, and from there it's straight into playoffs. Sixteen teams enter the Main Event with one goal, and by October 2 the group stage picture will already be clear.