▁These ▁teams ▁were ▁either ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ 1 2 ▁of ▁the ▁stand ings ▁before ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁London ▁Se vens , ▁or ▁qualified ▁during ▁the ▁World ▁Series ▁Core ▁Team ▁Qual ifier ▁held ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁London ▁Se vens . ▁All ▁ 1 5 ▁core ▁teams ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 – 1 3 ▁season ▁retained ▁their ▁core ▁team ▁status . ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 3 – 1 4 ▁core ▁teams ▁were : ▁ ▁Ch anges ▁to ▁core ▁team ▁qual ifying ▁On ▁ 9 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁IR B ▁announced ▁significant ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁promotion / re leg ation ▁process . ▁ ▁First , ▁only ▁one ▁promotion ▁place ▁was ▁available ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 – 1 5 ▁series . ▁Also , ▁the ▁World ▁Series ▁Pre - Qual ifier , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁ 1 2 - team ▁tournament ▁cont ested ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁Se vens , ▁was ▁fol ded ▁into ▁the ▁Core ▁Team ▁Qual ifier , ▁which ▁involved ▁ 1 2 ▁teams ▁and ▁was ▁entirely ▁cont ested ▁at ▁the ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁Se vens . ▁The ▁bottom - pla ced ▁core ▁team ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁will ▁now ▁be ▁automatically ▁re leg ated , ▁with ▁no ▁opportunity ▁to ▁retain ▁core ▁status . ▁ ▁The ▁remaining ▁three ▁core ▁teams ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 3 – 1 4 ▁were ▁determined ▁in ▁a ▁two - stage ▁qual ifying ▁process :