1W ESSENCE I: a new tournament with invited tier-1 teams announced

The organizers of 1W ESSENCE I have revealed the list of 14 teams that received direct invitations to the group stage and playoffs of the tournament.

The following teams were directly seeded into the playoffs, all of whom regularly compete at major events: Team Liquid, Team Falcons, Aurora Gaming, PARIVISION, Team Yandex and Tundra Esports.

Invitations to the group stage were given to: Nemiga Gaming, 1Win Team, Rekonix, Zero Tenacity, MOUZ, Yellow Submarine, L1GA Team and Nigma Galaxy.

The tournament is similar to the recently concluded PREMIER SERIES, where PARIVISION claimed the title. Notably, tier-1 teams often use such events for practice and to refine strategies ahead of bigger tournaments. This gives other teams a chance to gain experience against top-tier opponents and compete for prize placements.

1W ESSENCE I will take place from 02.05.2026 to 11.05.2026 in an online format. A total of 14 teams will compete for a $100,000 prize pool. No rewards will be given to teams finishing outside the top 6.

Additionally, DreamLeague Season 29 will begin two days after the tournament ends, scheduled from 13.05.2026 to 24.05.2026, also in an online format.

Earlier, Cyberscore reported on the announcement of the coaching roster for the national teams tournament Esports Nations Cup 2026.