CDL Championship 2025 Day Three: FaZe elimnated, Vancouver Surge reaches Grand Final

The Call of Duty League (CDL) Championship 2025 event continues to offer plenty of surprises as the third day of the season-ending tournament comes to an end. 

While OpTic Texas and Vancouver Surge managed to reach the Grand Final, Atlanta FaZe became one of the latest teams to be eliminated.

The opening elimination match saw Atlanta FaZe compete against a Miami Heretics roster looking to represent Europe on Call of Duty’s biggest stage. A nail-biting Skyline Hardpoint went in favour of Miami Heretics with a 250-233 scoreline to secure the lead against a team many consider to be contending for the overall victory. 

Miami Heretics kept the ball rolling in Protocol Search and Destroy. Despite some accidental friendly fire from David ‘RenKor’ Isern, the all-Spanish lineup secured the map 6-3 to place Atlanta FaZe on the back foot heading into game three. 

After winning the first two Majors of the regular season, Atlanta FaZe attempted to bounce back in Protocol Control, but it was Miami Heretics that managed to hold strong, scoring a 3-0 victory to complete a convincing 3-0 sweep.

Toronto Ultra looked to keep its tournament hopes alive in an all-Canadian clash against Vancouver Surge. Vault Hardpoint went in favour of Vancouver Surge with a hard-fought 250-235 score line. Some impeccable plays from Byron ‘Nastie’ Plumridge saw Vancouver Surge pull ahead in Protocol Search and Destroy, taking the map 6-4 and a 2-0 lead over the hometown franchise. 

Even with the support of the crowd, Toronto Ultra struggled to overturn the momentum established by Vancouver Surge. Vancouver Surge swept aside Toronto Ultra 3-0 on Vault Control to wrap up the series 3-0 to send Toronto Ultra home with a top-six finish.

Having reached two Grand Finals earlier in the year, Vancouver Surge looks to have peaked at the right time as it looks to earn a place in its third.

The winner’s bracket final featured the seventh and eighth seeds of Boston Breach and OpTic Texas faced off for a place in the Grand Final. The Green Wall stood strong in Vault Hardpoint and dominated from the outset to secure a 250-73 victory to open proceedings. 

The team that struggled for the majority of the regular season looked like a distant memory, as OpTic Texas secured Protocol Search and Destroy with a convincing 6-1 victory, leaving Boston Breach with an impossible mountain to climb

Boston Breach showed signs of life in Hacienda Control to take the map to a deciding fifth round, but OpTic Texas held strong, taking the map 3-2 and the series 3-0 to become the first team to earn a place in the Grand Final. 

Elsewhere, Vancouver Surge battled against Miami Heretics for a place in the elimination final. Vancouver Surge outlasted the all-Spanish roster in a thrilling five-game series that went down to the wire. Vancouver Surge managed to win Red Card Search and Destroy 6-5 to eliminate a defiant Miami Heretics with a top-six placement. 

With Vancouver Surge advancing, Boston Breach would await the Canadian franchise in the elimination bracket final. Vancouver Surge opened the series with a 250-235 victory on Rewind Hardpoint for the early lead. Boston Breach equalised the series with a convincing 6-2 win on Rewind Search and Destroy, continuing its excellent form in the game mode. 

The momentum turned in favour of the Vancouver Surge once more, scoring a 3-0 sweep on Vault Control to earn a slender 2-1 series lead, putting the franchise one step away from the Grand Final. However, Boston Breach wasn’t done yet. A 250-188 win on Skyline Hardpoint was enough to force a game five. 

Vancouver Surge managed to overcome Boston Breach’s strong Search and Destroy gameplay on Red Card, taking the map 6-2 and the series 3-2 to secure the second place in the CDL Championship 2025 Grand Final.

With OpTic Texas and Vancouver Surge remaining in the tournament, the two franchises will compete in the final of the CDL Championship 2025 event for a chance to be crowned champion. 

Fans can watch the Grand Final by tuning into the CDL’s YouTube channel.