ESL Pro League Season 20 started on September 3 with top teams, and here are all the details on its schedule, teams, format, how to watch, and more.
ESL Pro League Season 20 is going to be a super exciting event for everyone who loves Counter-Strike 2 (CS2). This big tournament will be happening from September 3 to September 22, 2024, and fans all over the world will be watching as 32 of the best teams compete for big prizes and important ranking points.
Here is all you need to know about ESL Pro League Season 20, its schedule, teams, format, how to watch, and more.
CS2 ESL Pro League Season 20
ESL Pro 2024 is going to last for three weeks, and there’s a lot on the line. There’s a huge prize pool of $750,000 and the team that wins will get a big chunk of that—$170,000. Plus, they’ll earn 2,000 BLAST Premier points. These points are really important because they help teams qualify for other big events like the BLAST Premier Fall Final, and maybe even the BLAST Premier World Finals.
Teams Participating in ESL Pro League Season 20
There are 32 teams in total, including some of the biggest names in CS2 esports and a few underdogs who want to surprise everyone. Some of the fan favorites to watch are:
- Partner Teams: Astralis, FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, Natus Vincere, Team Liquid, and Team Vitality.
- Challenger Teams: MIBR (winners of ESL Challenger Melbourne 2024), Team Falcons, and Sangal Esports.
- Regional Qualifiers: Teams from the ESL Challenger League, including Lynn Vision Gaming (Asia), Imperial Esports (South America), and Rooster (Oceania).
Day 1 of #ESLProLeague XX is just a few hours away! All BO3s, all of the time for the next 3 weeks Check out Group A & B's opening matchups on our schedule below! pic.twitter.com/95mpOKAooT
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) September 3, 2024
ESL Pro League Season 20 Schedule
So, this big event has two main parts: the Group Stage and the Playoffs.
The matches for Groups A and B kicked off on September 3, 2024, and they’ll keep going until September 8. After that, Groups C and D will start playing from September 10 to September 15. Once all those matches are done, the top 16 teams from all groups will move forward to the Playoffs. The Playoffs will begin on September 17 and will end with the Grand Finals on September 22, 2024.
Key Group Stage matchups include:
- Group A: Heroic vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas, FaZe Clan vs. Sangal Esports
- Group B: G2 Esports vs. KOI, Team Spirit vs. Wildcard Gaming
- Group C: MOUZ vs. Rooster, Astralis vs. Fnatic
- Group D: Team Vitality vs. ATOX Esports, Team Liquid vs. ENCE
The Playoffs are knockout-style, so if a team loses, they’re out. The two best teams will battle it out in a big BO5 (best-of-five) Grand Final on September 22 to find out who’s the champion.
Format and Structure of ESL Pro League Season 20
The ESL Pro League Season 20 is starting with a Group Stage and then moving into the Playoffs. This setup makes sure that every single match is super important. So, here’s how it works:
First, there are 32 teams, and they’re split into four groups, each with eight teams. The Group Stage is played in a triple-elimination format. This means if a team loses three times, they’re out of the tournament. Every match during this stage is played as a best-of-three (BO3), so teams have to be really good in each round if they want to win.
Now, only the top four teams from each group get to move on to the Playoffs. Here’s what happens next:
- The team that finishes first in their group goes straight to the Quarterfinals.
- The second-place team goes into the Round of 12 as a High Seed.
- The third-place team also makes it to the Round of 16.
- The fourth-place team enters as a Low Seed.
- If a team ends up in the bottom half of their group, they’re eliminated.
When we get to the Playoffs, things get even more intense. The Playoffs use a single-elimination format, which means if you lose once, you’re out. All matches here are also BO3, except for the Grand Finals, which are a best-of-five (BO5).
Prize Pool
The total prize pool for this season sits at an impressive $750,000. The distribution of this prize pool is as follows:
- 1st Place: $170,000 and 2,000 BLAST Premier points
- 2nd Place: $80,000 and 1,400 BLAST Premier points
- 3rd-4th Place: $45,000 each
- 5th-8th Place: $32,000 each
- 9th-12th Place: $23,500 each
- 13th-16th Place: $17,500 each
- 17th-20th Place: $12,000 each
- 21st-28th Place: $7,000 each
- 29th-32nd Place: $3,500 each
How to Watch ESL Pro League Season 20?
Fans can watch all the matches live on ESL’s official Twitch channel. If someone misses the live matches, they can still catch up by watching highlights and full replays on ESL’s YouTube channel. And if you’re lucky enough to be in Malta, you can even buy tickets from the ESL Pro League’s official website to see the games in person.
Tickets to the #ESLProLeague XX playoffs are now SOLD OUT We look forward to seeing everyone in St. Julian's, Malta for some subtropical Counter-Strike! MT pic.twitter.com/9fAxibXiW7
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) September 3, 2024
With the best teams, exciting matches, and big prizes, ESL Pro League Season 20 is something every CS2 esports fan should watch.