(Photo credit: Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

OpTic Gaming earned a pair of 3-0 sweeps on Thursday and clinched a playoff berth at the Call of Duty Black Ops 6 event as part of the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Vancouver Surge, KOI and Team Heretics also advanced with two group-stage wins apiece on Thursday.

The $1.8 million tournament began Thursday with 16 teams divided into four double-elimination groups, with all matches best-of-five. The top two teams from each group will move into the single-elimination playoffs.

The quarterfinals and semifinals will consist of best-of-five matches ahead of the best-of-seven final on Sunday.

The winning team will receive $600,000 as well as 1,000 Esports World Cup club points and a berth in the same event next year. The runner-up will get $320,000 plus 750 Esports World Cup club points.

On Thursday, OpTic Gaming began Group A play with a sweep of FiveFears: 250-170 on Vault Hardpoint, 6-2 on Hacienda Search and Destroy and 3-1 on Vault Control.

In the other opening Group A match, Cloud9 swept G2 Esports, taking Rewind Hardpoint 250-104, Dealership Search and Destroy 6-2 and Hacienda Control 3-2.

OpTic then rolled past Cloud9 250-164 on Rewind Hardpoint, 6-4 on Protocol Search and Destroy and 3-2 on Hacienda Control.

In Group B, Vancouver started with a 250-114 win on Red Card Hardpoint before Team Orchid captured Rewind Search and Destroy 6-2. The Surge sealed the series by prevailing 3-1 on Vault Control and 250-76 on Rewind Hardpoint.

100 Thieves posted a 3-0 win over Gentle Mates in Group B: 250-224 on Rewind Hardpoint, 6-5 on Dealership Search and Destroy and 3-2 on Hacienda Control.

In the Group B winners match, the Surge eked out a 3-2 win over 100 Thieves. After Vancouver won 250-201 on Rewind Hardpoint, 100 Thieves claimed Rewind Search and Destroy 6-4 and Vault Control 3-0. The Surge bounced back to win 240-229 on Hacienda Hardpoint and 6-2 on Protocol Search and Destroy.

Boston kicked off Group C action with a 3-1 win over Team WaR. After falling 250-161 on Vault Hardpoint, the Breach ran off three consecutive victories: 6-4 on Hacienda Search and Destroy, 3-0 on Protocol Control and 250-107 on Hacienda Hardpoint.

KOI then took down Team Falcons 3-1. KOI began with a 250-190 victory on Vault Hardpoint before Team Falcons won 6-3 on Red Card Search and Destroy. The last two maps went to KOI, 3-0 on Vault Control and 250-150 on Hacienda Hardpoint.

The Group C winners match saw KOI sweep the Breach 3-0, winning 250-105 on Vault Hardpoint, 6-5 on Hacienda Search and Destroy and 3-1 on Hacienda Control.

Team Heretics won their Group D opener 3-0 over Project 7 Esports, cruising 250-121 on Vault Hardpoint, 6-4 on Dealership Search and Destroy and 3-0 on Hacienda Control.

FaZe Clan rallied to top OMiT 3-2 in the other Group D first-round match. After FaZe Clan captured Rewind Hardpoint 250-229, OMiT took Red Card Search and Destroy 6-2 and Protocol Control 3-0. FaZe then triumphed 250-185 on Skyline Hardpoint and 6-5 on Protocol Search and Destroy.

Team Heretics posted a 3-1 victory over FaZe Clan in the Group D winners match. Team Heretics started with a 250-175 win on Rewind Hardpoint before FaZe Clan claimed Hacienda Search and Destroy 6-2. Team Heretics wrapped up the win by taking Hacienda Control 3-2 and Skyline Hardpoint 250-248.

The Friday schedule:

Group A elimination match -- FiveFears vs. G2

Group A decider match -- FiveFears/G2 winner vs. Cloud9

Group B elimination match -- Gentle Mates vs. Team Orchid

Group B decider match -- Gentle Mates/Team Orchid winner vs. 100 Thieves

Group C elimination match -- Team WaR vs. Team Falcons

Group C decider match -- Team WaR/Team Falcons winner vs. Boston Breach

Group D elimination match -- Project 7 Esports vs. OMiT

Group D decider match -- Project 7 Esports/OMiT winner vs. FaZe Clan

Call of Duty Black Ops 6, Esports World Cup prize pool, with money winnings and Esports World Cup club points

1. $600,000, 1,000

2. $320,000, 750

3. $200,000, 500

4. $120,000, 300

5-8. $80,000, 200

9-12. $40,000, 0

13-16. $20,000, 0

--Field Level Media