The top finishers of this weekend’s July Strixhaven League Weekend received four more invitations for the upcoming Magic World Championship XXVII.
Gabriel Nassif and Seth Manfield qualified as the top two players in the Magic Pro League through two days of competition. The RIvals League’s Yuta Takahashi and Matt Sperling also earned invitations to Worlds.
These four players join Ondrej Strasky, Eli Kassis, Stanislav Cifka, and reigning World Champion Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa as players officially qualified for Worlds.
Manfield and Sperling came into the weekend as the dominant leaders in their respective leagues. Sperling locked in his Worlds qualification in round nine by defeating Zachary Kiihne 2-1. Manfield struggled on day one, going winless through six rounds, but rallied to secure his spot at Worlds in round nine.
Nassif wasn’t far behind his fellow Hall of Famer Manfield. He qualified for Worlds with a round 10 victory over Rei Sato. Takahashi finished the day with an 8-4 record earning the second Rivals League top finish and a spot at Worlds.
There are eight more Worlds invitations up for grabs in the three postseason tournaments: MPL Gauntlet, Rivals Gauntlet, and Challenger Gauntlet.
The Challenger Gauntlet brings together the top 24 Challengers, players outside of the Magic Esports league system, who will compete on Aug. 6 to 8. The top four will qualify for Worlds and earn invitations to the 2021-22 MPL season. The remaining eight players in the top 12 will earn a spot in the Rivals Gauntlet for a chance to play in either league.
The Rivals Gauntlet is another 24-player bracket featuring eight Challengers, the 12 lowest-ranked Rivals players, and the bottom-four MPL players. The top four will earn a spot in the MPL, with the winner qualifying for Worlds. The rest will play in the Rivals League next season.
The MPL Gauntlet pits the top 16 remaining Rivals players and the top eight remaining MPL players against each other. The top three players earn a spot at Worlds and in the MPL. The rest will be invited to the Rivals League.
Both the Rivals Gauntlet and MPL Gauntlet are scheduled for Sep. 2 to 5.
