CDL Stage 3 2021: Groups, match schedule and preview

As we enter the halfway point of the season, we have seen Atlanta FaZe dominate most competition. Up until the Stage 2 Major final, they had won 14 out of 16 league matches. Despite their dominance, it was Toronto Ultra who stole the show and blew the competition away by defeating Atlanta FaZe in the Major final 5-3. 

Toronto Ultra up until that point had won just over half of their games. Additionally, at one point in a poll by CDL, just 3% of viewers backed Toronto to win the Major. With this stunning result, can they repeat their success, can Atlanta FaZe re-establish themselves as the dominant force, or can another team rise amongst the competition?

• Read more: COD: Mobile 2021 World Championship officially announced, kicks off in June

Groups and format

Before the groups had been finalised, a representative from each team attended a CDL show. This led to team reps deciding on who ended up in Group A and B for the next three weeks. 

Group A+B

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• Week 1: London Royal Ravens Home Series April 22-25
• Week 2: Paris Legion Home Series April 29-May 2
• Week 3: Dallas Empire Home Series May 6-9

Similar to previous stages, each team will face off against their fellow group competition over the three weeks. Each win results in 10 CDL points being handed out to the victor, this will determine seeding for the $500,000 Stage 3 Major.

Additionally, all teams will be vying for a top 8 placement in overall standings. The top 8 at the end of the season will qualify for the playoffs tournament. 

Where to watch CDL, times and dates to know

All matches will be streamed live on the CDL YouTube channel. Below is the schedule for the first week of action in Stage 3. 

Stage 3 Week 1 Schedule

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Thursday April 22nd:

• Dallas Empire vs Paris Legion 12:00pm PT/ 3:00pm ET/ 7:00pm GMT
• Toronto Ultra vs Florida Mutineers 1:30pm PT/ 4:30pm ET/ 8:30pm GMT 

Friday April 23rd:

• LA Thieves vs Seattle Surge 12:00pm PT/ 3:00pm ET/ 7:00pm GMT
• OpTic Chicago vs London Royal Ravens 1:30pm PT/ 4:30pm ET/ 8:30pm GMT

Saturday April 24th:

• Paris Legion vs LA Guerillas 12:00pm PT/ 3:00pm ET/ 7:00pm GMT
• Minnesota Rokkr vs Flordia Mutineers 1:30pm PT/ 4:30pm ET/ 8:30pm GMT
• OpTic Chicago vs Seattle Surge 3:00pm PT/ 6:00pm ET/ 10:00pm GMT 

Sunday April 25th:

• LA Thieves vs London Royal Ravens 12:00pm PT/ 3:00pm ET/ 7:00pm GMT
• Atlanta FaZe vs New York Subliners 1:30pm PT/ 4:30pm ET/ 8:30pm GMT
• Toronto Ultra vs Dallas Empire 3:00pm PT/ 6:00pm ET/ 10:00pm GMT

CDL Stage 3 preview

(Picture: Call of Duty League)

Reigning Major champions Toronto Ultra have been placed in Group A, and will be looking to rise up the rankings further. Group A will also see Dallas Empire trying to stabilize after a third place finish in the Stage 2 Major. 

Florida Mutineers expect to see their performances improve after bringing Colt “Havok” McClendon into the starting lineup. Additionally, there are no uneven matchups within Group A, which should provide great viewing for the fans.  

Meanwhile, In group B this is the make or break stage for London Royal Ravens, as they sit last in overall standings with 30 CDL points, and a map win percentage of 16%. European teams historically perform better under pressure, and hopefully this is the turning point for this talented roster. 

Despite it being labelled the group of death, each team in group B will be looking to repeat Toronto Ultra's stunning grand final performance by dismantling Atlanta FaZe. All teams would have been analysing that match endlessly, especially OpTic Chicago, LA Thieves and New York Subliners, who themselves have so much talent but have lacked consistency.

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