A wave of withdrawals has hit the YaLLa Compass Winter Contenders tournament, as OG, ECSTATIC, FAVBET, GUN5, SINNERS, and Monte have all decided to step away from the event. Their absence is reflected in updated match schedules on HLTV and the event’s Liquipedia page, signaling a significant reduction in the competition lineup.
The withdrawals come after Valve removed the tournament’s ranked status last month. The change followed concerns about the event’s invite-only format, which reportedly excluded several eligible teams despite their rankings. HLTV recently reported that YaLLa has since adjusted its qualification system for its upcoming tier-one LANs later in the year. However, this change eliminated the pathway for teams to secure a spot in the April LAN by performing well at the Winter event, effectively altering the tournament’s significance.
Among the teams that withdrew, Monte openly voiced their frustration, stating that the lack of a clear qualification route, coupled with the loss of ranked status, made competing in the event less appealing. The organization also criticized what they see as a lack of transparency and fairness in the current tier-two circuit, adding to ongoing discussions about the state of second-tier competitive Counter-Strike.
With these exits, only 10 of the original 16 teams remain in the YaLLa Compass Winter tournament. Metizport had already withdrawn before the event began, citing concerns over the invitation process and a lack of openness regarding team selection.
Despite the setbacks, the event is still moving forward, though with a significantly altered lineup from what was originally planned.
