The next teams to be invited to play in Chengdu at the beginning of October are, your very own, SK-gaming, the pride of Kazakhstan k23 and Chinese fan favourite TeD. Six more Counter-Strike teams await their official invites along with five more Warcraft 3 players, with four qualifiers to join them.

SK overcame a slow start to the year by their standards at the EM III European and global finals which saw them pick up a 5th-6th and 4th. The pace was quickened as back-to-back 2nd places at ESWC Masters Cheonan and Kode5 put the Swedes firmly back into the elite circle. Since then results have been a little more rocky with an upset loss to Lemondogs at DreamHack, a 4th at estars Seoul and failing to win WCG Sweden. Roster moves have yet to be fully finalized and fans wait expectantly to see who will show up wearing SK colours in China.

k23 first made themselves known to the international audience when they reached the finals of the 2005 WCG in CS:Source and picked up silver medals after losing to the reigning champions Team3D of the USA. Most astonishing was when k23 revealed that they had nobody to practice with at home so they would play 2on3 on their own server to stay in shape. Since then, their results have been less spectacular as they placed 5th-8th at the 2008 WCG and most recently attended estars Seoul. Still they remain popular amongst fans who see them as the perennial underdogs.

As an Undead player TeD is one of a rare breed in these times. The Chinese player failed to qualify for the WCG to be held in his native country. The World Elite player also went out early, in the second round, in last weekend's ESWC Open Game. Despite these lows and his lack of form TeD remains a popular fan favourite and with the Global Challenge taking place in his country will be enthusiastically cheered alongside fellow countryman Sky.

Invited so far:

Counter-Strike
fnatic
TyLoo
Mousesports

SK Gaming
k23

Warcraft3
Xiaofeng 'Sky' Li
June 'Lyn' Park
Zhuo 'TeD' Zeng