Esports
The ALGS Open is almost here. These are the elite teams who'll be tearing up the arena in this thrilling tournament.
If you’ve not been following the Apex Legends esports scene, now’s a great time to dive in, as one of its biggest tournaments to date is about to kick off in New Orleans. From May 1-4 , 160 teams will meet in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to compete for a share of the $1 million prize pool in the Apex Legends Global Series Open.
With so many teams taking part, it’s hard to predict who will come out on top. There are some clear favourites though, with rosters that boast some of the most vicious contenders in the scene. Here are the teams to watch for the most stunning plays this weekend…
01
Team Falcons
Roster: ImperialHal, Zer0, Wxltzy
Region: North America
This all-star trio contains some of the most decorated Apex players to date, including the ‘CEO’ himself, Philip ‘ImperialHal’ Dosen. This prolific player has amassed over 50 titles in his pro career, with gongs from the X Games and the ALGS Championship. Team captain Rhys ‘Zer0’ Perry also has an illustrious career to date, for a time engaged in a heated rivalry with his now-team-mate ImperialHal. The team is completed by Ben ‘Wxltzy’ Walton, who achieved a first-place finish at ALGS 2023 Split 2 Pro League - APAC South with Moist Esports. Falcons have exercised incredible judgment, picking fights where their strengths give them a clear advantage. Their communication is impeccable, capable of staying calm under pressure and adapting to challenging circumstances. Barring a huge upset, we reckon this team are a shoo-in for the final rounds.
02
NRG
Roster: Gild, iiTzTimmy, YanYa
Region: North America
After a hiatus from Apex, NRG have returned to the scene with a roster led by Timothy ‘iiTzTimmy’ An, one of the most prominent Apex streamers. iiTzTimmy’s playstyle is marked by relentless speed, often utilising fast attackers like Pathfinder to zip around the arena, decimating his enemies. The revamped roster is completed by the mechanically gifted Zachary ‘Gild’ Dennis and flex master Saul ‘YanYa’ Ocampo Plascencia. Don’t expect this team to hold back in New Orleans.
03
Alliance
Roster: Hakis, Effect, unlucky
Region: Europe
Allliance won the Apex Legends Esports World Cup last year, securing their rise to the top of the competitive scene with a cohesive performance that displayed incredible synergy between in-game leader John ‘Hakis’ Håkansson and his team-mates Miron ‘Effect’ Novikov and Andre ‘unlucky’ Türk. In addition to their prowess in battle, the team have also demonstrated mastery of Apex’s maps, consistently finding the best pockets to fight from and regroup when under pressure.
04
Fnatic
Roster: YukaF, Kernel garcia, Lible_Ace
Region: Japan
One of the best-known esports organisations, Fnatic are a strong force in Apex Legends, who have achieved consistent top 10 finishes in the ALGS since 2022. Fnatic’s roster is a collection of Japanese all-stars including Yuga ‘YukaF’ Horie, Haurto ‘Kernel garcia’ Seki and Manato ‘Lible_Ace’ Asada, who combine to form one of the most explosive teams in the scene. While their aggressive play style can be risky, they are formidable in a fight and could be contenders for the top spot if they can channel their energy into a consistent tournament run.
05
TSM
Roster: Duplex, Gent, TBC
Region: North America
After winning the 2023 ALGS and placing fourth in 2024, TSM are back with an all-new roster including Ira ‘Dooplex’ Shepherd and Rigoberto ‘Gent’ Padilla. Although the pair are fresh additions to the TSM squad, both have a storied history in competitive Apex, in Optic Gaming and G2 Esports, respectively.
06
Natus Vincere
Roster: Uxako, Hiarka, zhidan
Region: Europe
The Ukrainian organisation, commonly known as NaVi, recently acquired the roster of GoNext Esports – the unlikely winners of the ALGS 2025 Championship. Under the leadership of Filipe ‘Hiarka’ Morgado, this relatively unknown trio stunned the competition, defeating the titans in Team Falcons in one of the greatest underdog stories in Apex Legends history. In a stunning run of matches, the trio, completed by Jose ‘Uxako’ Llosa and Kyllian ‘zhidan’ Brun, played against the meta, toppling the competition’s favourites with daring team compositions. Now, with the backing of a major organisation, it remains to be seen whether this rising trio can repeat its success at the ALGS Open.
07
100 Thieves
Roster: Genburten, Verhulst, Phony
Region: North America
Despite losing iiTzTimmy, 100 Thieves are still major contenders in this year’s ALGS Open. The team is led by Josue ‘Phony’ Ruiz, previously of Spacestation Gaming and has previously clinched top-three finishes in the ALGS 2024 Split 2 Playoffs and ASUS ROG - For Those Who Dare.
