Smite eSports
We’re heading into a brand new season of SMITE esports, and we’re excited about our revamped leagues going into Season 5. We recently announced our plans to launch the SMITE Minor League this year and forge a new path for upcoming pros to make their mark on the competitive scene. As we revealed in that announcement, a few teams have an automatic invite into the SMITE Minor League for the new season — but there are still two open spots up for grabs in each region (NA and EU).
If you and your team want a shot at grabbing one of the remaining slots for the SML, you’ll need to participate in the Minor League Qualifier that’s happening this weekend, February 24-25. In this quick guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know to sign up and participate in the upcoming SMITE Minor League Qualifier.
SMITE Minor League Qualifiers Format & Details
We mentioned above that some teams were automatically offered a spot in the SMITE Minor League. These include the bottom two teams from the SMITE Pro League Fall Split and the top two teams from the 2017 Challenger’s Circuit. That means the following teams are guaranteed participation in the SML for Season 5:
- Team CrytiK
- Team Allegiance
- The Papis
- Burrito Esports
- Spacestation Gold
- Salsa Squadron
- Victorious Secret
- Mans Not Hot
***Note: Should the invited teams be unable to field a roster, the invitation we’ve extended to them will be given instead to either the team captain or a member of the team as appointed by the organization. If none of these can be met, an additional qualifiers team will be selected to join the league.
To determine the final two teams for each region who will participate in the SMITE Minor League, we’ll be holding two weeks of competition. Here’s a breakdown of how those two weeks will run:
Week 1: Open Bracket
Teams will compete in an open bracket tournament to determine the top 8 participants, who will advance to the knockout group stage. Each region will compete on a different day.
- Europe — Saturday, February 24 @ 11:00 AM ET
- North America — Sunday, February 25 @ 11:00 AM ET
Week 2: Knockout Group Stage
The top 8 teams who qualified during the first week will be split into two groups of four based on their seeding from Week 1.
- Group A: Seeds 1, 4, 5, & 8
- Group B: Seeds 2, 3, 6, & 7
Each group will play a best-of-three round robin tournament, where the top two teams for each region will qualify for the SMITE Minor League. Teams will play at the following times:
- Europe — Saturday, March 3 @ 11:00 AM ET
- North America — Sunday, March 4 @ 11:00 AM ET
How to Participate in the SMITE Minor League Qualifiers
If you want a shot at being one of the two teams who takes the open slots for each region in the Minor League, you’re welcome to sign up for the open bracket tournament for your region. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of everything you need to know.
Step 1: Join the Discord Channel
If you’re planning to compete in the SML Qualifiers, the first thing you’ll need to do is join our official SMITE Minor League Discord channel so you can get notifications when check-ins open for the tournament and communicate with our administrators to coordinate your participation.
Step 2: Check In for Your Region’s Tournament
Once you’ve joined the Discord channel, all you have to do is wait for the day/time assigned to your region’s tournament. At the assigned time listed below, your region’s check-ins will be posted in that Discord channel:
- Europe — Saturday, February 24 @ 10:00 AM ET (4:00 PM CET)
- North America — Sunday, February 25 @ 10:00 AM ET
Once the form has been posted, team captains will need to fill it out completely and accurately, then hit Submit. After the check-in has been submitted, just wait patiently for a tournament admin to tell you when the games will start.
Step 3: Play!
After you’ve checked in, your tournament administrator will communicate in the Discord channel to run the event. They’ll post a bracket for your team to see your matchups, then give you the rundown on all tournament rules and instructions on how to play your games.
The Qualifiers tournament will run as a single-elimination open bracket. All games will be best-of-ones until semi-finals and finals, which will be best-of-three.
SMITE Minor League Qualifiers FAQ
Can I compete in the SMITE Minor League Qualifiers if I am a console player?
Yes, console SMITE players may participate in the Minor League Qualifiers. However, if you qualify you will be locked into the Minor League for at least Week 1 of the season.
Are there any requirements needed to compete in the SMITE Minor League Qualifiers?
There are no level requirements for participating in the Minor League. However, you must have an account that is in good standing and be on a team of at least 5 members in order to participate.
I missed the check-in times! Can I still play in the tournament?
Unfortunately, if you or your team misses the registration period, you cannot compete in this week of the SMITE Minor League Qualifiers.
We’re excited to see what our aspiring pro players can bring to the table for the SMITE Minor League in Season 5 — and we’d love to see all of you participating as well! If you have any questions about the Minor League Qualifiers, hit us up on Twitter @SmitePro for more information!