This year’s tournament comes with some notable changes. First, the event has moved from the Mediterranean island of Malta to ESL’s studios in Stockholm. This means that unlike previous editions, there won’t be a live crowd for the playoffs.
Another major shake-up is the new format. ESL has ditched its previous system in favor of two Swiss-style group stages, leading into an eight-team playoff bracket. Every match in the tournament will be a best-of-three, except for the grand final, which will be a best-of-five. Notably, there will be no third-place decider match this time around.
Seeding for the tournament was determined through a peer-voting system, similar to the method used in the IEM Katowice 2019 Major. This system had an especially big impact on paiN, who benefited the most in Stage 1, jumping up three places to land just below top-seeded Eternal Fire.
One of the biggest talking points this season is the absence of FaZe, who declined their invite to the Swedish studio event. On the flip side, some of the biggest names in Counter-Strike – Spirit, Vitality, G2, Natus Vincere, and Liquid – are all making their return after sitting out PGL Cluj-Napoca.
One of the more intriguing stories this season is HEROIC, who have made it to the event after acquiring the core roster of Sangal, the team that won ECL48 in Europe. Meanwhile, Housebets and Mindfreak will bring an Australian presence to the event, getting a chance to test themselves against top-tier international competition.
The Play-In stage runs from March 1-5, with eight spots in Stage 2 up for grabs. Once that’s settled, the main event kicks off on March 7, running through March 16.
The group stage will feature two simultaneous streams, ensuring fans don’t miss out on any of the action. We can expect four best-of-three matches per day, with games starting at 14:30 CET.
Eternal Fire is set to kick off the tournament’s Stage 1 Play-In with a showdown against Mindfreak on March 1.
Esports has grown from a niche hobby into a global entertainment industry. Today, major tournaments in Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and League of Legends attract millions of viewers, sell out arenas, and generate betting interest similar to traditional sports.
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