Registrations are now open for Invid.au Counter-Strike 2 Open Ladder Season 1.
The Open Ladder works differently to a standard tournament bracket. There are no weekly fixtures set for you. Teams climb the ladder by challenging teams above them and winning matches.
The season starts on 22 September 2026 and finishes on 08 December 2026. All competition times will use Melbourne time.
Registration will stay open throughout the season while places are available.
Register your team: https://invid.au/tournaments/competitions
Season details
- Entry is free
- Season runs from 22 September 2026 to 08 December 2026
- Maximum of 40 active teams
- Open to players living in Australia and New Zealand
- PC only
- 5v5 Best-of-One matches
- Sydney servers provided by Invid.au
- Overtime enabled
- CS2 Active Duty map pool in use as of 1 September 2026
- Standard CS2 veto completed through the Invid.au picks and bans system
New teams start at the bottom of the ladder and can begin challenging once the season starts.
If the ladder reaches 40 teams, registration will close until a spot becomes available. There is no waiting list. If an inactive or removed team leaves the ladder, another team can register and will enter at the bottom.
Prize pool
There is a guaranteed $300 cash prize pool.
- 1st place: $150
- 2nd place: $100
- 3rd place: $50
Teams need to complete at least 5 official matches during the season to qualify for prize money.
Prizes are based on the final ladder standings at the end of the season.
Prize money will be added to the recipient's Invid.au Wallet and can be withdrawn through PayPal.
Teams or players that are suspended, removed or disqualified may lose their eligibility for prize money.
How challenges work
Teams can challenge opponents up to 3 positions above them.
When you issue a challenge, you need to provide at least 3 valid match times.
Those times need to:
- Cover 3 different days
- Include at least 1 weekend slot
- Include at least 1 time at or after 7:00 PM
- Include at least 1 weekend evening slot between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM
- Fall within the challenge window, generally 2 to 7 days after the challenge is issued
The defending team has 48 hours to respond.
If the defender does not respond in time, the match is recorded as a 1 to 0 forfeit and the challenger takes their ladder position.
Administrators can review forfeits where there is evidence of a genuine platform or technical issue.
If a team successfully defends its position, it receives a 72-hour defence cooldown before it can be challenged again.
Teams and rosters
Teams must have between 5 and 7 registered players.
The 7-player maximum can include up to 2 substitutes.
There is no permanent roster lock. You can make changes to your team during the season as long as you continue to meet the competition requirements.
Every player who takes part in a match must:
- Be at least 15 years old
- Live in Australia or New Zealand
- Have an Invid.au account
- Be listed on the team's Invid.au roster
- Have their Steam account linked to their Invid.au profile
- Use the Steam account they personally own
- Not play for another team in the same ladder
Organisations can enter more than one team, but players can only compete for one team in the ladder.
There are no skill, rank, professional or semi-professional restrictions.
Account sharing, borrowed accounts, undeclared alternate accounts and false player information are not allowed.
If a team's roster drops below 5 players, they will have 7 days to fix it. If the roster is still below the minimum after that period, the team may be removed from the ladder.
Match format
All matches are 5v5 Best-of-One.
Matches will use Sydney servers provided by Invid.au.
The map pool will be the CS2 Active Duty map pool in effect on 1 September 2026.
Map selection will be completed using the standard CS2 veto process through the picks and bans system on the Invid.au match page.
If you have a server or connection issue, raise it in the match chat before the game starts where possible.
If you continue playing without raising the issue, it may be treated as accepting the server conditions.
No-shows
Teams are expected to be ready at the scheduled match time.
There is a 15-minute grace period.
If a team cannot field 5 eligible players within 15 minutes, the match may be recorded as a 1 to 0 forfeit, subject to administrator review.
You cannot use an unregistered stand-in. Every player needs to already be registered on Invid.au and listed on the team roster.
Rescheduling matches
Teams can reschedule an accepted match if both captains agree.
The agreement must be recorded in the Invid.au match chat and the new time must remain within the challenge window.
Keep your scheduling conversations on the platform. Agreements made through Discord, private messages or voice chat may not be accepted as evidence if there is a dispute later.
Results and evidence
Both captains are responsible for submitting and confirming the match result through the Invid.au match page.
Teams must upload:
- Final scoreboard screenshots
- Match demo files
- Any additional evidence requested by an administrator
Submitting false results, altered evidence or incorrect match information may result in penalties.
Disputes
You have 12 hours after the match finishes to lodge a dispute.
When submitting a dispute, include as much evidence as possible, including screenshots, demos, match chat records and relevant timestamps.
Administrators may review match results, demos, server information and player eligibility before making a decision.
No-show forfeits can also be reviewed by an administrator.
Inactivity
Teams are expected to stay active during the season.
- Warning after 21 days of inactivity
- Removal after 30 days of inactivity
Sending, accepting or playing an official challenge resets the team's activity status.
Teams with a pending challenge, active match or unresolved dispute will not be removed while that is still active.
If an inactive team is removed, teams below them move up and another registration spot may become available.
Community casting
Community casters are welcome to apply to broadcast Open Ladder matches.
Approval is required before broadcasting an official match.
Apply here: https://invid.au/contact
Approved casters need to follow any broadcast, spectator and server requirements provided by the tournament administrators.
Rules and official information
The full competition rulebook will be available from the competition page and will also be posted as a sticky in the forums.
Captains are responsible for keeping an eye on their notifications and match pages, responding to challenges on time, maintaining an eligible roster and keeping match scheduling discussions on Invid.au.
Register: https://invid.au/tournaments/competitions
Contact: https://invid.au/contact
Registration is open now. Get your roster sorted and be ready to start challenging from 22 September 2026.