Riyadh storms back, improves to 3-0 at Call of Duty Stage 4 qualifying

Field Level Media|published: Mon 15th June, 24:12 2026

Tyler Hawkins, a member of the Tallahassee Community College esports team, plays Call of Duty Vanguard to kick start the season Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. Tcc Esports061

A day after the Los Angeles Thieves improved to 3-0 at Call of Duty League Stage 4 Major qualifying, the Riyadh Falcons appeared doomed in their bid to match on Sunday.

But down 2-1, the Falcons rallied to win the final two maps and win 3-2 in the final of three Week 2 matches played on the day. The three remaining winless teams entering the day played in the day's other two matches, with the Toronto KOI beating Cloud9 New York 3-2 in a battle of teams looking for their first win and the Paris Gentle Mates downing Vancouver 3-0 to knock the Surge to 0-3.

The 12 Call of Duty League teams are playing five qualifying matches apiece to determine seeding for the fourth major of the season to be held June 25-28 at Nanterre, France. Each team receives 10 CDL points for each win. Qualifying resumed Friday after last week's Stage 4 Minor won by the Thieves.

In the first match of the day, Toronto opened with a 250-223 win on Den Hardpoint but Cloud9 answered with back-to-back narrow wins -- 6-5 on Den Search and Destroy and 3-2 on Den Overload. The KOI won 250-158 on Gridlock Hardpoint to even the match and then took the deciding map 6-5 on Gridlock Search and Destroy. Tobias "CleanX" Juul Jønsson led the KOI with a match-high 92 kills.

Next, Paris jumped all over Vancouver and never let up, winning 250-149 on Sake Hardpoint, 6-3 on Hacienda Search and Destroy, and 7-0 on Exposure Overload. Joseph "JoeDeceives" Romero dominated the short match, posting 67 kills in the win.

When Riyadh opened with a 250-200 win on Sake Hardpoint, it looked like a second 3-0 team would be a lock. But the Royal Ravens answered with a 6-2 win on Hacienda Search and Destroy and 5-2 victory on Gridlock Overload to put the Falcons on the ropes. They got off the ropes with a 250-112 win on Colossus Hardpoint then delivered the knockout blow on Den Search and Destroy, winning 6-3. Three of the four Riyadh players reached the 80-kill mark (with the fourth finishing with 79).

McArthur "Cellium" Jovel led all players with 87 kills in the win.

Play resumes next Friday with the third and final week of qualifying.

--Riyadh Falcons vs. FaZe Vegas

--Los Angeles Thieves vs. Cloud9 New York

--Paris Gentle Mates vs. Boston Breach

Call of Duty League Stage 4 Major qualifying standings, with match record and map differential:

1. Riyadh Falcons, 3-0, +5

2. Los Angeles Thieves, 3-0, +3

3. Boston Breach, 3-1, +4

4. G2 Minnesota, 2-1, +2

5. Paris Gentle Mates, 2-2, +2

6. Carolina Royal Ravens, 2-2, 0