VCT Americas Stage 2 group stage begins July 16 with a redrawn six-team round-robin format in Groups Alpha and Omega, where each side plays five Bo3 matches and the top two advance directly to playoffs while the bottom four enter play-ins alongside Challengers squads. Trader sentiment for win totals centers on group strength after the May draw mixed seeds, recent Stage 1 results, and roster continuity heading into the final leg toward Champions Shanghai qualification and championship points. Teams like NRG, MIBR, LEVIATÁN, Sentinels, and 100 Thieves carry varying momentum from prior regular-season records and international showings, with map pools, recent patch adjustments, and head-to-head history shaping expectations for regular-season wins in the 0-5 range. No matches have occurred yet, leaving projections tied to official standings carryover and schedule difficulty.