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.
Rainbet offers several bonus types for eligible users, including promo codes, free bets, loyalty rewards, and VIP benefits. However, these offers often come with wagering requirements, withdrawal conditions, and eligibility restrictions.
Good CS2 gameplay is influenced by various aspects, including your experience as a player, your gear, your teammates, and your crosshair. If you want to aim correctly and annihilate your opponents, you’ll need a crosshair that does the trick. However, if you’re new to CS2 and still learning about the game, perhaps you don’t know the best CS:GO crosshair codes. The best way to find a suitable option is by choosing a code used by pro players. In this post, we will take a look at some of these choices and explain how you can import these codes to CS2.
![Gamdom Withdrawal Guide: Crypto Cashout, Verification, Limits and Fees ([year])](/imgs/news_8777/20260626/cache/1782504192_35ff401a00b17404f22d___308_174.png "Gamdom Withdrawal Guide: Crypto Cashout, Verification, Limits and Fees ([year])")
![How To Play FACEIT CS2 in [year]](/imgs/news_8158/20250307/cache/1741351818_4c98890c4ae4e63cb0cc___308_174.jpg "How To Play FACEIT CS2 in [year]")
![Top CSGO Crosshair Codes Used by Players in [year]](/imgs/news_7957/20241010/cache/1728566058_2944e6c64e1e22736e24___308_174.jpg "Top CSGO Crosshair Codes Used by Players in [year]")