The first two weeks of the 2022 APAC League have passed, and there are several important lessons to learn. The league has begun at least a week ahead of the rest of the world: as is customary in APAC.
Let’s take a look at the current standings and upcoming matchup schedule of the league.
Standings & results
Here’s a list of current standings and results as of playday 4
| # | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | DAMWON Gaming | 3-0-1-0 |
| 2. | Talon Esports | 2-1-1-0 |
| 3. | T1 | 2-0-0-2 |
| 4. | SANDBOX Gaming | 2-0-0-2 |
| 5. | FAV gaming | 2-0-0-2 |
| 6. | CYCLOPS athlete gaming | 2-0-0-2 |
| 7. | Fnatic | 1-1-0-2 |
| 8. | REJECT | 0-0-0-4 |
Schedule & betting odds
Here's the matchup schedule, you can click on the matches to take yourself directly to the detailed match page and watch the match live.
- FAV Gaming vs. REJECT (March 30, 2022 - 12:30 UTC+3) 1.45 vs. 2.60
- DAMWON Gaming vs. Fnatic (March 30, 2022 - 13:45 UTC+3) 1.32 vs. 3.10
- T1 vs. SANDBOX Gaming (March 30, 2022 - 15:00 UTC+3) 2.35 vs. 1.52
- TALON vs. CYCLOPS athlete gaming (March 30, 2022 - 16:15 UTC+3) 1.85 vs. 1.85
Changes to the Format
To begin, the top four teams in each subregion – APAC North and APAC South – will now compete in the double-elimination APAC Playoff tournament, with the top four qualifying for the next Six Major event.
This means that the champions of the North and South Divisions no longer receive automatic invites to the Major; instead, they must all compete in the Playoffs.
Furthermore, the South Asia subregion has lost their APAC Playoff invitations after South Asian clubs won only one of their 12 playoff games. The area will now likely sit alongside the SEA Championship and Oceanic Nationals, with APAC South relegation berths handed to the winners of the South Asia Nationals at the conclusion of the year.
In addition, the league will include all global modifications, including the new nine-map competitive pool, and is the first league to launch the Attacker Repick system.
Analysis
Fnatic have shifted to an all-Japanese lineup, adding Etienne "Mag" Rousseau, who will be conversing in Japanese when he joins the squad after Stage 1. This is a significant shift for Fnatic, which has previously been majorlyAustralian.
They looked good in their first two matches, dividing the difference with a 1-1 record against SANDBOX and FAV. They're not the greatest or the worst, and they're certain to change whenever Mag joins the team. They're sure to improve as the year progresses.
DAMWON Gaming continues to dominate alongside Talon Esports, with T1 and Sandbox following behind but still haven’t proved themselves as DAMWON did. They share the same record with FAV and CYCLOPS but slightly better results in round points so it is viable to expect a tough competition among those 4 teams.
