All you need to know about ESL Pro League S17

Two big Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments have already finished in 2023 — the BLAST Premier Spring Groups and the IEM Katowice 2023. However, this does not mean that we will wait a long time to see our favorite teams again.

On the contrary, with IEM Katowice 2023 over, we are already on the edge of the start of the ESL Pro League S17.

Tournament preview

The ESL Pro League S17 is an international Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competition that will take place in Malta from February 22 to March 26, 2023. In this tournament, 32 of the best teams in the world will meet to fight for great rewards that include:

• Direct qualification to IEM Cologne 2023 and BLAST World Final 2023
• 3000 BLAST Premier Points
• $200,000 in prize money

Tournament dates and format

As we mentioned, the first ESL Pro League event will kick off next February 22, 2023, and we will have more than a month of action from the best CS:GO teams in the world in Malta in a 100% LAN environment.

The emotions start with the group stage, where the 32 participating teams are divided into four groups of 8 teams each. The ESL has recently changed the format for this ESL Pro League S17, introducing a triple elimination format.

In this group stage, matches will be played best of three (BO3), and we will have the Upper and Lower Bracket as usual. The teams finishing first place in each group will advance directly to the tournament’s quarterfinals. On the other hand, the second-place team advances to the Round of 12, while the third and fourth-place teams will fight in the playoffs from the Round of 16.

Once in the playoffs, the 16 teams left alive in the tournament will face each other in a single elimination bracket, where all matches will be played in best-of-three, except the grand final, which will be played BO5.

Participating teams

Below, we will show you all the groups of the ESL Pro League S17.

Group A

• G2 Esports
• Outsiders
• Fnatic
• Cloud9
• Eternal Fire
• Evil Geniuses
• MIBR
• IHC

Group B

• Heroic
• FURIA
• MOUZ
• BIG
• Movistar Riders
• Imperial
• Complexity
• SAW

Group C

• FaZe Clan
• Vitality
• Ninjas in Pyjamas
• OG
• 00 Nation
• PaiN Gaming
• Grayhound
• Rooster

Group D

• Natus Vincere
• Team Liquid
• ENCE
• Astralis
• ForZe
• Team Spirit
• Rare Atom
• ATK

There is no doubt that the favorite teams to be at the top of the podium of this ESL Pro League S17 are:

• G2 Esports
• Heroic
• NaVi
• FaZe Clan
• Outsiders
• Fnatic

However, there could be some others that could surprise and get to the top of this competition.

ESL Pro League S17 Schedule

As we mentioned, each group of the ESL Pro League S17 will have separate matches. That is to say; each group will have to play when the games of the previous group finish. So, for example, Group B will not start until Group A finishes, and so on.

Next, we will see the matches played on the first date of this ESL Pro League S17.

Wednesday, February 22

• Outsiders vs. IHC – 16:00 CET
• MIBR vs. Fnatic – 16:00 CET
• C9 vs. EG – 19:30 CET
• G2 vs. Eternal Fire – 19:30 CET

Wednesday, March 1

• Heroic vs. Movistar Riders – 16:00 CET
• BIG vs. Complexity – 16:00 CET
• FURIA vs. Imperial – 19:30 CET
• MOUZ vs. SAW – 19:30 CET

Wednesday, March 8

• FaZe vs. Rooster – 16:00 CET
• NiP vs. paiN – 16:00 CET
• OG vs. 00 Nation – 19:30 CET
• Vitality vs. Grayhound – 19:30 CET

Wednesday, March 15

• Liquid vs. Rare Atom – 16:00 CET
• ENCE vs. ATK – 16:00 CET
• Spirit vs. Astralis – 19:30 CET
• NAVI vs. forZe – 19:30 CET

Header: ESL