Week Two of CDL Major IV Qualifiers starts Friday

(Gray News) - The end of the regular season is fast approaching for the Call of Duty League (CDL). Major IV represents the last chance for teams to make the postseason. CDL Points are up for grabs, and no one wants to fall below the cutline at 8th in the regular season standings. Each win in qualifiers adds another ten CDL points to a team’s running total, but the big payoff is a Major win, which will net a team 100 CDL points.

Placing well in qualifiers is critical for teams to have the best chance at winning any Major, so let’s see who will be facing off in week two of Major IV qualifiers.

Match schedule for Friday, May 9th:

• Vegas Falcons vs. Miami Heretics: 3 PM EST / 2 PM CST / 12 PM PST
• Boston Breach vs. OpTic Texas: 4:30 PM EST / 3:30 PM CST / 1:30 PM PST
• Atlanta FaZe vs. Cloud9 New York: 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST / 3 PM PST

Friday’s first match is somewhat unimportant in the playoff race, as the Vegas Falcons are already decisively out of the postseason. Even if they win their remaining three series in qualifiers and the Major, they still will not have as many CDL points as the team in 8th on the points list. Not to mention, the Falcons have only won two series this season. The Miami Heretics currently sit 6th in the season-long points race, and only 15 points back from 5th, so a win here would go a long way to ensure their ticket to the postseason.

The second series of the day is much more intriguing, as OpTic Texas and Boston Breach are neck and neck in the points race. The Breach currently sit in 7th with 180 points, while OpTic sit in 8th with 155 points. OpTic looked ready to repeat their 2024 World Championship run at the start of the 2025 season when they took the number one seed in Major I qualifiers. Since then, they have exited every Major in the second round of the elimination bracket. The Breach have left most Majors in the third round of the elimination bracket, which is the reason for their marginal point lead over OpTic. OpTic has one win and the Breach have one loss so far in Major IV qualifiers, so now is the time for OpTic to lock in if they want to continue shrinking the Breach’s lead.

Atlanta FaZe could lose every qualifier match and be knocked out of Major IV in the first round, and they still would make the postseason by a mile. The notable part of Friday’s final match is that Cloud9 New York currently sit below the postseason cutline. They need to win every series to help narrow their 40-point deficit, but FaZe will be a formidable opponent to get a win off of.

Match schedule for Saturday, May 10th:

• Miami Heretics vs. Cloud9 New York: 3 PM EST / 2 PM CST / 12 PM PST
• Minnesota RØKKR vs. Los Angeles Guerrillas M8: 4:30 PM EST / 3:30 PM CST / 1:30 PM PST
• Los Angeles Thieves vs. Vegas Falcons: 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST / 3 PM PST
• Carolina Royal Ravens vs. OpTic Texas: 7:30 PM EST / 6:30 PM CST / 4:30 PM PST

Saturday’s first match is between the Heretics and Cloud9. As stated previously, Cloud9 needs to win out in the qualifiers to boost their chances of reaching the cutline by the end of Major IV. The Heretics just need to focus on starting Major IV in the winner’s bracket, and with two wins to their name in week one, it looks like they will be just fine. Cloud9 will come out firing in this one as it’s do or die time for them, so the Heretics must be ready for a fight.

The Los Angeles Guerrillas M8 are in a similar boat to the Falcons. They only have four series wins this season, but they do have an infinitesimal chance of making the postseason. The Minnesota RØKKR, on the other hand, are more akin to Cloud9 in that they are also 40 points back from the cutoff line. RØKKR needs to take advantage of this favorable matchup.

The Los Angeles Thieves versus the Falcons is the most unimportant match of the weekend regarding the CDL points race, as both teams’ fates have already been decided. The Thieves are coming off a win at Major III and are essentially tied for first in the season-long standings. The Thieves should take this win.

OpTic has another opportunity to collect a win in Saturday’s final series. They’re taking on the Carolina Royal Ravens, who currently sit 5th in the points race. A loss by OpTic in this match means RØKKR and Cloud9 can sneak closer to overtaking them, while the Breach can increase their lead. This match matters as the cutline evolves, so don’t miss it.

Match schedule for Sunday, May 11th:

• Boston Breach vs. Vancouver Surge: 3 PM EST / 2 PM CST / 12 PM PST
• Los Angeles Guerrillas M8 vs. Atlanta FaZe: 4:30 PM EST / 3:30 PM CST / 1:30 PM PST
• Toronto Ultra vs Minnesota RØKKR: 6 PM EST / 5 PM CST / 3 PM PST

If OpTic fails to win Saturday evening, the Breach can slip further ahead in Sunday’s opening match. But the Vancouver Surge won’t be a pushover. The Surge have finished second at the last two Majors and currently sit 4th in the ranks. However, the Surge are currently 0-2 in Major IV qualifying, so now is the best time for the Breach to strike.

The Guerrillas M8 versus FaZe is another inconsequential match you can probably skip over if the weekend’s list of chores has a few more boxes that still need to be checked. FaZe is at the top of the points list, and the Guerrillas M8 sit 10 points away from being last. Both teams’ fates have already been decided in terms of the postseason. FaZe should win this series.

The final series of the weekend is between Toronto Ultra and RØKKR. It’s another opportunity for RØKKR to get closer to the cutline if they win, but the Ultra currently sit third in the points race. It’s a tough ask for RØKKR in this one, but it will be a fight no matter how it shakes out.

Tune in to the official CDL YouTube channel to watch this weekend’s matches. Coverage should start 30 minutes before each day’s first match.

Gray Television is an investor in OpTic Gaming.