FaZe win Roman Imperium Cup IX in Portugal to boost PGL Major Singapore invite hopes before 2 November cut-off

FaZe Clan have won Roman Imperium Cup IX, a smaller event in Portugal they entered to improve their chances of an invite to the PGL Major Singapore. According to the event bracket, FaZe beat NAVI Junior 2-0 in the final at the SAW Esports Arena in Vila Nova de Gaia, near Porto. The event ran from 7 to 10 October. HLTV reported that the title has brought FaZe close to the world's top 15, a few weeks before Valve's ranking cut-off for Major invitations.

Why a big team entered a small event

It is unusual for a team of FaZe's profile to play a 16-team event with a €12,000 prize pool. The reason is the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) system, which Valve uses to decide which teams are invited to Majors. A strong run against a weaker field can still add useful points.

FaZe registered on 21 September and the organisers confirmed them the next day, esports.net reported. Before the event, FaZe were 14th on HLTV's unofficial live VRS for Europe. The report said European teams need to finish inside the top 18 to be invited directly. FaZe also missed this year's IEM Cologne Major, which made this push more important.

How FaZe got through the bracket

FaZe beat Pure 2-0 in the upper-bracket semi-final. NAVI Junior, the academy side of Natus Vincere, reached the final through the lower bracket, beating Sangal Esports 2-1 in the lower-bracket final. Sangal had earlier eliminated G2's academy side, G2 Ares, and then Pure.

The field also included OG, Falcons Force, SAW and Portuguese sides Famalicão and RBLS, among others.

The 2 November deadline

Valve's ranking snapshot for Singapore invitations is taken on 2 November. Any points FaZe add before then could still matter, and other teams on the edge of the invite places are also using lower-tier events to collect points.

Other teams have already made changes ahead of the deadline. This week Astralis benched two players, and Sashi have reshuffled the line-up they are building for the Asian region since Valve tightened the rules on late region switches.

The Major comes to Southeast Asia

The PGL Major Singapore runs from 25 November to 13 December, with 32 teams from all regions. The last four days move to the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which holds more than 12,000 people, and the grand final is best-of-five. It is the closest a CS2 Major has been to Malaysia. Singapore is easy to reach by road, rail or a short flight, so plenty of Malaysian fans are likely to make the trip for the playoffs.

Key takeaways

• FaZe won Roman Imperium Cup IX in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, beating NAVI Junior 2-0 in the final.
• FaZe entered to collect ranking points for a PGL Major Singapore invite.
• Valve's VRS cut-off for Singapore invitations is 2 November.
• European teams need a top-18 regional ranking for a direct invite, according to esports.net.
• The Major runs from 25 November to 13 December, and the final four days are at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

FAQ

What is the Roman Imperium Cup? It is a Portuguese CS2 event at the SAW Esports Arena in Vila Nova de Gaia. The ninth edition had 16 teams and a €12,000 prize pool.

Is FaZe qualified for the PGL Major Singapore? Not yet. Invitations depend on the Valve Regional Standings at the 2 November cut-off, and this title should help FaZe's position.

When and where is the PGL Major Singapore? It runs from 25 November to 13 December 2026. The final four days are at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Sources: HLTV, esports.net, rdy.gg, PGL