Swedish Counter-Strike team Ninjas in Pyjamas are now facing relegation from ESL Pro League and a possible demotion to the Mountain Dew League. After finishing last in their group during the previous EPL season, they were required to compete in the ESL Pro League Pre-Relegation tournament to save their spot in the league. Falling to two lower ranked teams has left them with one last chance to secure themselves a spot in ESL Pro League Season 10.

via DreamHack

NiP competed in ESL Pro League Season 9 in April of this year, the first season to implement the league's new group stage system. They were placed in group B in the first round along with FaZe Clan, Heroic, and devils.one. Many expected the Swedish team to do well here, considering they were ranked as the eighth best team in the world at the time. Unfortunately, they were only able to put up one win over Heroic before falling to both devils.one and FaZe. These losses garnered them a last place finish in their group and sent them to the EPL Pre-Relegation tournament, which took place this week.

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EPL Pre-Relegation is a two-day online tournament that sees the bottom teams from the four groups of the regular EPL season fighting to keep their spot in the next season. While the winner guarantees themselves a spot in Season 10, the second and third place teams are sent to the EPL Relegation tournament, which will take place this weekend. The fourth place team is relegated to the Mountain Dew League, the semi-pro league that feeds into ESL Pro League. The Relegation tournament awards two spots in EPL Season 10, to be fought for by the second and third place teams from Pre-Relegation as well as two teams from the previous MDL season.

via ESL

Now ranked as the 11th best team in the world, NiP went into the Pre-Relegation tournament heavily favored to qualify for EPL. After some unexpected losses, Ninjas in Pyjamas have found themselves in the EPL Relegation tournament, where they will have to claw their way back into Pro League. A top two finish will grant them that wish, but anything less will see them relegated to MDL.

NiP has been in a questionable spot lately regarding their starting roster, as 17-year-old Nicolas "Plopski" Gonzalez Zamora only joined the team in June. Long-time NiP member Christopher "GeT_RiGhT" Alesund is also rumored to be leaving the team following the StarLadder Berlin Major. They will also not be able to field their full roster in Berlin, and instead will play with Maikil "golden" Selim in place of Plopski for the event.

Roster instability aside, NiP will have to fight for their lives this weekend and will shortly after have to defend their "Legend" status at the StarLadder Major. Should NiP qualify, their journey in ESL Pro League Season 10 would begin on October 8th.

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