The most significant ESL-operated biennial CS:GO league has modified its competitive format, which will make its debut at the following ESL Pro League Season 17 event.
This competition will come after the IEM Katowice 2023, which will feature 32 of the best CS:GO teams playing for a $850,000 USD prize pool from February 22 through March 26 in Malta (INR 6,92,88,175).
This article provides comprehensive coverage of the ESL Pro League Season 17 including teams, lineups, groups, schedule, results, format, prize pool, where to watch, and all other information.
What is Season 17 of the ESL Pro League?
Throughout the past few years, ESL Pro League has changed significantly, both in terms of venue and format. ESL Pro League doesn’t take place in a fixed site every year, unlike IEM Katowice and IEM Cologne. Thus, it will now reside in Malta until 2024. By holding the competition in Malta, all of the participating teams remain on neutral ground. The duration of Season 17 runs from February 22 to March 26; that’s more than a month of tier-1 Counter-Strike!
The tournament’s four groups will meet over the course of four weeks, and it will conclude with a huge single-elimination Playoff stage. The winning team will receive $200,000 and a trip to IEM Cologne out of the $850,000 total prize pool.
ESL Pro League Teams
32 teams in total, broken up into four groups of eight teams each, will compete in this event.
Most of the teams competing in this event are Permanent Partner Teams, while the rest teams either qualified through one of the numerous Regional Qualifiers or as a consequence of their ESL World Ranking.
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
IHC Esports | Herioc | FaZe Clan | Liquid |
MIBR | Movistar Riders | Rooster | Rare Atom |
Fnatic | BIG | paiN Gaming | ATK |
Cloud 9 | Complexity | NIP | ENCE |
Evil Geniuses | Imperial Esports | OG | Team SPirit |
G2 Sports | FURIA Esports | 00 Nation | Astralis |
Eternal Fire | SAW | Grayhound | forZe |
Outsiders | MOUZ | Team Vitality | NAVI |
Findings and Timetable of the ESL Pro League
The competition will be divided into two phases: Group Stage (22nd February to 19th March) and Playoffs (26th February to 28th March) (21st to 26th March).
Format of the ESL Pro League
Stage 1: Group
- Four groups of eight teams each will be formed from the 32 participants.
- Every group will use the brand-new triple-elimination bracket.
- There will be a best-of-three series for every match.
- Each group’s top-finishing team will advance directly to the quarterfinals.
- Each group’s runner-up team will advance directly to the Round of 12.
- Each group’s third- and fourth-placed clubs will advance directly to the Round of 16.
Stage 2: Playoffs
In this stage of the competition, the 16 teams that advanced from the Group Stage will continue to participate.
The usual single-elimination format will be used for this bracket.
With the exception of the title game, which will be a best-of-five matchup, all games throughout this stage of the competition will be best-of-three series.
ESL Pro League Season 17 Prize Money
The 32 competitors will split the $850,000 USD prize fund based on how they place in the final standings. Also, the victors will be admitted automatically to the IEM Cologne 2023.
How to watch Season 17 of the ESL Pro League
Several streams of the ESL Pro League Season 17 will be available in various languages. Fans can access official and partner streams in a variety of languages, including English, Spanish, and others. The official ESL CS:GO YouTube and Twitch feeds are where you can watch the English broadcast. There will be two matches taking place at once to start the season. Outsiders and MIBR will square off against IHC Esports and Fnatic, respectively, on February 22 at 3 PM GMT+0. The first match in Group B is Herioc vs. Movistar Riders on March 1. Following on March 8 and March 15 are Groups C and D.
What transportation options are there for the ESL Pro League Season 17 championship game?
The competition consists of four groups, each with eight teams. For each group, there is a double-elimination competition and a Last Chance Stage. During this new Stage, the exact assignments for each team in each group will be decided. The more teams that take part in the competition, the more teams that will be eligible for the Playoff bracket.
You must place among the top four in your group to advance to the playoffs. The top three teams from the main group stage, the top two teams from the Upper final, and the Lower final champion all earn berths. The winner of the Last Chance Stage receives the final position. Every team no longer plays every other team once, which might make qualifying heavily reliant on how straightforward your side of the bracket is.
The single-elimination Playoff format has two preliminary rounds before the Quarterfinals, when it switches to the more conventional eight-team single-elimination bracket. Except for the Grand Final, which will be a best-of-five match, all contests are best-of-three affairs.
Also Read: A list of CS:GO tournaments and events for women
How do you place a bet on the ESL Pro League’s 17th season?
Esports betting is easy, but beginners might need help navigating all the different betting possibilities. To help those who want to wager on the ESL Pro League Season, we have put together a useful guide. Consult the handbook if you want.
- Fans of CS:GO can place bets at Pinnacle throughout the 17th ESL Pro League season on a range of markets. The most popular market for esports gamblers is the Money Line, or a bet on the result of a specific match. Futures markets are also accessible for bets on the team that will win the ESL Pro League Season 17.
- If you’re a skilled gambler, keep an eye on our ESL Pro League Season 17 odds page. In addition to the finest CS:GO odds, Pinnacle will offer a large selection of pre-match and in-play markets.
To conclude we can say that, this is a high-stakes competition because the victorious team automatically qualifies for IEM Cologne 2023 and BLAST World Final 2023. Also, the top three finishers receive 3, 2, and 1, respectively, points for the BLAST Premier Global Leaderboard 2023. Five through eight only receive 500 points. Team Vitality won the previous season after defeating Team Liquid in the Final 3:2. Both teams continue to be in the top 10 of the ESL Global Ranking. Yet, with their triumph at IEM Katowice 2023, G2 Esports may be a formidable rival.