Online bookmaker Pinnacle shows that Nigma Galaxy FE are the clear favorites to bag the trophy by a wide margin with odds at 1.266. There’s a huge gap between them and the next challenger, South American squad Furia FE who are listed at 7.49.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 7th, 3:30 P.M. (EST)
Nigma Galaxy FE is very dominant, finishing first in every event they attend since 2021. The seven-tournament streak includes three of the last ESL events where they faced off against Furia FE in the finals each time. The team is led by ANa, the Romanian AWPer is arguably the best female counter-strike player of all time. At just 23, ANa has been active since she was 15 and has an all-time rating of 1.19 and an impact score of 1.23. She will definitely look to carry the team to another victory once again in Katowice.
Meanwhile, Furia FE perhaps poses the greatest threat to the reigning dominance of ANa and her squad. However, they have recently signed bokor after the departure of mari to w7m esports after a year long tenure with the roster. The all-Brazilian squad had a great 2022 coming in second in their ESL Impact appearances and dominating their region in all the South American tournaments that year. Furia FE will look to get past the hump and finally score a win against Nigma Galaxy FE.
Other invited teams include North American team Counter Logic Gaming Red who are actually an international roster with only two players coming from the same country and just three from North America. Meanwhile, the Asian region will be represented by HSG. The Mandarin-speaking team is a mix of Chinese and Malaysian players and has been the strongest in the Asian region.
The eight team roster will be rounded up by two teams coming out of the European qualifiers as well as another team to each represent North and South America. Most notably, the Ukrainian organization has fielded an all-Polish lineup called Navi Javelins to take one of the European slots. They are actually expected to have deep run in the tournament and they will certainly feel the pressure to live up to that.
However, all indicators suggest another dominant showing for Nigma Galaxy FE as they have been doing for the past two seasons. Will another team be able to change it this year?
