Virtus.professional will likely be absent from ESL Professional League Season 22 after being turned away on the Swedish border, and their hopes of attending the StarLadder Budapest Main might now be in danger.
In an announcement posted by Virtus.professional, they stated that “border management raised issues relating to the medical insurance coverage of three gamers. Notably, the identical insurance coverage insurance policies had beforehand been accepted with out concern in different Schengen international locations”
They later stated that regardless of checking out the difficulty relating to the medical insurance coverage, it was already too late, and that visas had already been revoked. The group is now involved with a “native legal professional specializing in migration regulation” however that the method is predicted to take “a while.”
Virtus.рro will miss ESL Professional League in Stockholm.
Sadly, our group will likely be unable to take part within the upcoming ESL Professional League in CS2, set to happen in Stockholm within the coming days.
Upon coming into Sweden, border management raised issues relating to the medical insurance coverage… pic.twitter.com/o0NsmkQwuZ
— Virtus.professional (@virtuspro) September 27, 2025
Virtus.professional had been set to enter ESL Professional League Season 22 in Stage 1 of the competitors, the place they’d have North American group M80 of their opening recreation.
This introduced a stable alternative for them to get extra recreation apply with Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy’s system as their new IGL, and to additional mattress of their new signing Vadim “tO0RO” Arkov after his promotion for his or her academy group, they’ll now be with out an occasion to play in till after the StarLadder Budapest Main invite lower off date on October 6.
VP Might Miss Main?
Nonetheless, because of their incapability to play in ESL Professional League, Virtus.Professional’s qualification to stated Main is now additionally unsure. Former NAVI and Gambit coach kane stated “I’ll drop an fascinating inside: Virtus.professional more than likely gained’t make it to the Main.”
😑 No VirtusPro at Main? Kane is aware of one thing we don’t. pic.twitter.com/xpVCy7ZSJl
— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) September 27, 2025
It’s at present unclear as as to whether this may also be because of a travel-related concern because it has been with ESL Professional League, however VRS wizard MischiefCS2 is already reporting that the lack of VRS factors could also be catastrophic.
Because of lacking out on the event in Stockholm, Sweden, VP will fall to 18th within the European standings, two ranks beneath the required sixteenth place to qualify for Budapest.
Nicely, the EU main race simply received thrilling.
Up to date EU 🇪🇺 Main VRS predictions after the EPL modifications.
This has handed a lifeline to contending groups, its gonna be a really fascinating subsequent 10 days. pic.twitter.com/U7YHBWRgkO
— Finn (@MischiefCS2) September 27, 2025
ENCE to Exchange Virtus.Professional
ESL has given ENCE the chance to interchange Virtus.professional on the event, because of them being the subsequent eligible group for qualification.
As per their guidelines: “Any withdrawal occurring lower than two weeks previous to the occasion’s begin date will outcome within the invitation being granted to the highest-ranked group on the Valve Regional Standings from the host area of the occasion. Solely groups with legitimate visas for the area or nation the place the event is being held will likely be thought of.”
In consequence, ENCE have needed to pull out of the Birch Cup, to get replaced by Group Liquid.
We’re by way of to Birch Cup Playoffs. Goodluck ENCE at EPL👊
See you tomorrow. https://t.co/UGmGKWenYl
— Group Liquid CS (@TeamLiquidCS) September 27, 2025
Extra Visa Points
Virtus.professional aren’t the one group dealing with visa points forward of ESL Professional League – Chinese language group Lynn Imaginative and prescient additionally needed to drop out because of their incapability to subject a whole roster through the occasion.
They’re to get replaced by Spanish group Mild Mates, who needed to forfeit matches on the ongoing Birch Cup 2025 to be able to journey to Stockholm for the occasion.
These forfeitures, and the shortage of VRS factors out there in Stage 1 of ESL Professional League, signifies that Mild Mates may also now more than likely miss out on the Main, though their probabilities of qualification had been already slim.
