THE STORY SO FAR AT ALGS MIDSEASON PLAYOFFS

Here is everything you need to catch up and dive into the action as the finals kick off.

Punching their ticket to the finals

Fourteen teams have already punched their tickets to the finals – seven from Group A and seven from Group B – earning a spot on the dropship in the finals. The six lowest-performing teams have been sent home, while the remaining 20 face one last obstacle: the Last Chance Qualifier.

A handful of teams already set for the finals stand out from the rest, with names like TSM and 100 Thieves expected to place highly.

Team Falcons, the hometown heroes, had one of the loudest fanbases in the arena. Half of the stadium was chanting their name and waving banners. But even with that unequivocal support, the team fell to second place in Group A.

One special standout squad is S8UL. The Mumbai-based team forced its way into the finals with multiple incredible performances in Group B. A first-place finish in Game 5 – followed by multiple high finishes – secured their spot.

Alliance aims for back to back

All eyes are locked on Alliance as they look to add a second Esports World Cup win to their résumé. The team dominated Group B, winning two early lobbies before stockpiling kills and high finishes to give them a runaway 47-point lead.

“I'm very confident," said Alliance squad member John “Hakis” Håkansson. "Ever since we won last year, we've been consistently in the top three in every single tournament. I'm very confident in the top three, and hopefully our luck from last year stays so we can actually win again.”

Crucially, the inherent challenge of the finals format could play into Alliance’s favor. The match point system means early victories put you in position to end tournaments quickly.

"We'll definitely make it shorter this year," Hakis said. "I think with the Legend bans, it'll end in around like seven or eight games.”

Last Chance Qualifiers

Only six teams can emerge from the Last Chance Qualifiers, and there’s a dangerous lobby with teams like All Gamers, Sentinels, and Shopify Rebellion fighting to survive. All are favorites to advance.

The biggest story from the LCQ could be NRG, whose run is marked by the upcoming retirement of Timothy “iiTzTimmy” An from pro play. The announcement came just days before the start of the tournament.

“There's just other things in life that I have to just worry about and also what I want to do," iiTzTimmy said. "I enjoy playing other games, I have sponsors, I just want to play games with friends.”

After switching repeatedly between streaming and competitive play, he’s seen the ups and downs of both sides. Ultimately, streaming would allow him to dedicate more time to his personal life.

“Another factor is money. It's not that I'm running out of time, because I'm still fairly young, but I still have to start worrying about those things," iiTzTimmy added. "Because right now, I take care of a lot of my family members financially, and while competitive and my stream both give me money, I still want to progress myself as an individual, and I feel like I can't do that competing.”

Going out with a bang

The NRG pro hopes he can finish his career with one thing: a win.

“Regardless of me quitting or not, that's always the main goal. I've been competing for seven LANs now," he said. "Going for second place or third place will never satisfy. I think I'll always be angry and disappointed in myself."

All Gamers and Shopify Rebellion were two teams iiTzTimmy highlighted as squads he's on the lookout for during the Last Chance Qualifier.

"Everyone has bad days or really good days, but there are teams that are just pretty consistent, especially Shopify," he said. "Getting top six is going to be difficult. We have to play really perfect tomorrow.”

How to Watch and Earn Rewards

Watching the ALGS Midseason Playoffs at EWC 25 comes with special perks for Apex Legends fans. Those who tune in can earn official ALGS Twitch Drops.

On Saturday, July 12, you can pick up the “Out of Retirement” holospray, while on finals day, Sunday, July 13, you can grab the “Scriptwriter’s Secret” gun charm. Simply watch the stream on Twitch for 30 minutes to claim. You’ll also be able to earn all four drops from throughout the week – even if you missed them earlier – by watching for a total of two hours on Championship Sunday.

With hundreds of matches set to take place over the next few days, new legends will rise as champions are crowned and rivals are toppled. Watch the Esports World Cup 2025 live or check out the ticket options to watch in-person this week!