The tournament consisted of a group stage and a knockout stage. In the group stage, all 32 players competed in a Swiss-system format (*), with 16 players advancing to the knockout stage. Each match was contested over two legs, with the winner decided by the aggregate score. If the scores were tied, extra time and a penalty shootout would determine the winner.
*Swiss-system format: A popular qualifying method in esports where players with similar records are matched against each other, ensuring an equal number of matches. For example, in the second round, players with one win each play against each other, and players with one loss each play against each other. In the third round, players with two wins each play, players with one win and one loss each play, and players with two losses each play. In this tournament, the 16 players who achieved three wins in a maximum of five matches advanced to the knockout stage, while players with three losses were eliminated. Additionally, in the first round, pairings were based on seeding, with the 1st seed playing the 32nd seed, the 2nd seed playing the 31st seed, and so on, to avoid top seeds playing each other too early.
The first match of the group stage was against Jokshan, whom Nasri had lost to in the quarterfinals of last season's world tournament. Nasri secured a dramatic equalizer in second-half injury time, ultimately winning in a penalty shootout. The second match was against Maestro, a player Nasri described as his "favorite." This match was a high-scoring affair, ending in a 3-6 defeat for Nasri. The subsequent third match was against Cerhatinho, where Nasri suffered a come-from-behind loss after holding a one-goal lead.
Facing elimination if he lost, Nasri went into the fourth match against JRA. The close contest went to a penalty shootout, where Nasri made two consecutive "god saves" to secure a dramatic victory. In the final fifth match, Nasri defeated Dennis 2-1, securing his spot in the top 16 for the knockout stage.
■Group Stage Match Results
*Match results are aggregate scores from two legs. Player information includes nationality and affiliation. Seedings are determined by the world ranking before the tournament, with Nasri ranked 21st.
Match 1 vs Jokshan (Mexico・Complexity 16th Seed) ○3-3 (PK 5-3)
Match 2 vs Maestro (France・Vitality 4th Seed) ●3-6
Match 3 vs Cerhatinho (Germany・1FC Nuernberg 31st Seed) ●3-4
Match 4 vs JRA (Spain・Hashtag United 8th Seed) ○2-2 (PK 4-3)
Match 5 vs Dennis (Germany・Digital Athletics 12th Seed) ○2-1
▼▼Click here for the video report of the first day of the tournament!▼▼
The next day, the first round of the knockout stage was a rematch against Maestro, whom Nasri had lost to in the group stage. In the first half of the first leg, Nasri failed to defend against the opponent's quick passing attack from kickoff, leading to a goal conceded from a pass behind the defensive line. Afterward, Nasri gained control of the game, maintaining possession for extended periods. However, in the 73rd minute, the ball was stolen in Nasri's half, leading to a quick counter and a second goal conceded, resulting in a 0-2 defeat.
In the second leg, Nasri evaded the opponent's quick press and created numerous chances from the outset. In the 30th minute, he scored a goal. Although Nasri maintained control thereafter, he was unable to penetrate the opponent's solid defense to create further shots. Then, in the 74th minute, Maestro exploited the high defensive line set by Nasri, scoring a third goal. Nasri then switched to an attacking formation and launched a counterattack, but the goal remained elusive, and the match ended. Nasri was eliminated in the Round of 16 in this tournament.
■Knockout Stage Match Results
Round of 16 vs Maestro (France・Vitality 4th Seed) ●1-3
■Comment from Player Nasri
"Thank you for all your support, even though the matches were late at night in Japan time. It was my first world tournament of the season, and I was nervous about the unique atmosphere, but I'm glad I achieved my minimum goal of reaching the top 16. This tournament helped me identify what aspects of my offense are effective and what areas I need to improve. I believe continuing to gain experience on this stage is essential to compete at the world's top level, so I will work hard in the qualifiers for the next tournament to return to this stage."