The Rio de Janeiro State Electronic Sports Federation (FERJEE) has officially announced and opened registrations for Rainhas do Clutch 2026, the first international edition of the Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) “Queens of Clutch” tournament.

Announced as a world-tier event, the competition represents a critical pivot for the CS2 community, serving as a primary stage for women’s competition following the cessation of the ESL Impact circuit in 2025.

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Registrations for the online qualifiers opened on 13 May and will remain active until 17 May 2026. The qualifying rounds are scheduled for 19 to 24 May, covering the European, North American, and South American regions. Four teams will secure a spot in the Rio LAN finals: one each from EU and NA, and two from SA.

FERJEE has implemented a BRL 250,000 (~£36,000) prize structure, which includes BRL 150,000 in direct prize money and a BRL100,000 Club Share programme. To be eligible for the share, organisations must prove legal registration and provide formal written contracts for their players.

The tournament culminates in a LAN final held at the Marina da Glória event space between 23 and 26 June 2026, integrated into the programming of the Energy Summit, a global innovation and technology festival in Rio de Janeiro.

The “Rainhas do Clutch” expansion arrives at a shifting moment for the women’s scene. Since ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) suspended the Impact league, citing an unsustainable economic model, the community has relied on grassroots and third-party initiatives to maintain competitive momentum. Parallel to FERJEE’s efforts, the not-for-profit Brace For Impact (B4I) recently partnered with EFG to utilise the FACEIT Clubs infrastructure, guaranteeing events across five regions throughout 2026.

An increase of commercial attention could be seen within inclusive esports in the last few days, such as the introduction of the eLiga BPI in Portugal and moves such as the expansion of League of Legends Game Changers EMEA. Furthermore, L’Oréal Paris has recently tapped the space through an one-off activation with FURIA aimed specifically at the female demographic.

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