No verybighardman, no easy path as Euroregion holders land in Group B
Celtic Union's title defence will begin in the toughest possible fashion after the Euroregions winners were drawn alongside North Anglia and South England, creating a heavyweight Group B that could define the tournament.
For the defending champions, the draw could hardly have been more demanding. Celtic Union lifted the trophy at the previous Euroregions, but this time they return without influential talisman verybighardman. His absence through injury leaves a significant void in the reigning champions' squad and removes one of the league's standout players from the tournament.
Their reward is a group containing two of the strongest nations on paper.
North Anglia entered the draw as one of the three top seeds after earning an average squad rating of 82.22, while South England head into the competition from Pot 2 with one of the deepest squads outside the leading nations. South Europe complete the group, but the spotlight will inevitably fall on the three British Isles representatives battling for two likely qualification places.
With the three neighbouring nations meeting during the group stage, every fixture carries added significance. North Anglia will look to justify their status as one of the tournament favourites, South England have an opportunity to prove they belong among the elite, and Celtic Union must show they remain champions despite the loss of the player who helped lead them to the title.
Elsewhere, Group A appears the most evenly balanced section of the tournament. Scandobaltics headline the group after entering as a Pot 1 nation despite a disappointing tournament last time round, but Benelux, Afroarabia and Balkans all possess enough quality to challenge for the knockout rounds. With little separating the four squads on paper, dropped points could quickly become costly.
Group C is led by tournament favourites Eurasia, whose average squad rating of 83.56 was the highest in the competition. They will face a stern examination from Poland, the strongest side in Pot 2, while Central Europe and Americas complete a group that offers few straightforward fixtures. Eurasia may begin as favourites, but they will have little room for complacency.
The seeding system was designed to create competitive groups, yet the draw has delivered compelling narratives across the tournament. Eurasia will attempt to live up to their billing as favourites, Scandobaltics face a finely balanced group where every nation has a realistic chance, and the holders must navigate the competition's toughest section without the player who inspired their previous success.
If the draw is any indication, the group stage promises to be as fiercely contested as the race for the International Series trophy itself.