Los Angeles Thieves and OpTic Texas have already opened the 2026 Call of Duty League (CDL) season on the front foot, winning their first two Major 1 qualifying matches.
After the first week of matches, the pair top the table with a 2-0 record, putting both teams in a strong position to secure a place in the winner’s bracket of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7‘s first LAN of the season.
Los Angeles Thieves Top the Table
Following the signing of Tyler ‘aBeZy’ Pharris and Kenny ‘Kenny’ Williams, Los Angeles Thieves kicked off its Black Ops 7 season with a hard-fought 3-0 sweep over FaZe Vegas, generating some early momentum.
The Riyadh Falcons handed LA Thieves its first map loss of the new campaign, grabbing a 250-236 win on Scar Hardpoint to secure an early series lead. However, Los Angeles bounced back with a 6-0 sweep on Den Search and Destroy, before dominating Den Overload 5-1 to take the lead.
The Falcons put up a fight on Exposure Hardpoint, but Los Angeles held firm to take the map 250-207 to round off a 3-1 victory and another 10 CDL Points.
Defending Champions Start Strong
Defending Call of Duty League champion OpTic Texas headed into the Black Ops 7 season as the only franchise not making a roster change.
Its opening match against the Riyadh Falcons demonstrated that the Green Wall remained strong. A 3-0 sweep of the Falcons cemented its place as a frontrunner, building on its Monster Energy Launch Invitational triumph in November.
A new-look G2 Minnesota looked to give the defending champion a run for its money with a 250-197 win on Scar Hardpoint to kick off the best-of-five. OpTic Texas showcased its clinical teamwork across Raid Search and Destroy and Den Overload to move within one map of a second victory.
The Green Wall avenged its earlier Hardpoint defeat on Exposure, winning 250-113 to secure a 3-1 victory and a place at the top of the table alongside Los Angeles Thieves.
Struggles For Riyadh Falcons?
Following defeats to OpTic Texas and Los Angeles Thieves, two of the strongest franchises competing in the CDL, Riyadh Falcons already finds itself on the back foot.
Matches against the Carolina Royal Ravens and Boston Breach in week two act as an opportunity for the franchise to score its first win as it looks to secure a place in the Major 1 winner’s bracket.
The second week of Major 1 qualifiers begins on December 12th, with the 12 franchises in action once again as the battle for the top eight begins to heat up. Fans can tune into the action across the Call of Duty League’s YouTube and Twitch channels.
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