Last updated: September 24

ESL Pro League is back for another round as the tournament's 20th season begins on September 3, 2024. Thirty-two of the best Counter-Strike 2 teams from across the globe will jet off to Malta, competing for the lion's share of the $750,000 prize pool and all-important BLAST Premier Points.

This will notably be the last ESL Pro League event as we know it. CS2 tournament organizers like ESL and BLAST will adjust their events for 2025 and beyond thanks to Valve's open-circuit switch-up, spelling the end of the "permanent partner" model in most pro leagues.

Will MOUZ become the first team in Counter-Strike 2 history to win three EPL titles in a row? Here's everything you need to know about ESL Pro League S20, including its schedule and results.

ESL Pro League Season 20: Format

As always, ESL Pro League Season 20 is divided into two main phases: the Group Stage and the deciding Playoff Stage. The complete format is outlined below for convenience:

Group Stage

  • All 32 competing teams are divided into four triple-elimination bracket groups with best-of-three matches (Bo3).
  • Each group has eight teams in each.
  • The top four teams from each group advance to the Playoffs: Group Stage winners advance straight to the Quarter Finals. Runners-Up advance to Round of 12 as High Seeds. 3rd place teams qualify for the Round of 16 as High Seeds, while the 4th place teams in the Lower Bracket

Playoffs

  • Single elimination bracket where 16 teams face off in Bo3 matches.
  • The Grand Final is a best-of-five series.

ESL Pro League Season 20: Teams

Photo credit: ESL

The competition is always fierce in ESL Pro League competitions, with 32 of the best CS2 teams in the world competing. MOUZ is the firm favorite, having won the previous two EPL events (Season 18 and 19).

Of the 32 teams, 14 are known as a "Permanent Partner Team" and are directly invited by Valve to participate in the tournament. The remaining teams fought through regional qualifiers to earn their spots. This system of teams getting "direct invites" will end in 2025, opening up the esports circuit to new contenders and leveling the playing field.

Without further ado, here are the CS2 32 teams competing in ESL Pro League Season 20.

Permanent Partner Teams

  • Astralis
  • BIG
  • Complexity Gaming
  • ENCE
  • FaZe Clan
  • Fnatic
  • FURIA Esports
  • G2 Esports
  • HEROIC
  • MOUZ
  • Natus Vincere
  • Ninjas in Pyjamas
  • Team Liquid
  • Team Vitality

Qualified Teams

  • Team Spirit
  • Virtus.pro
  • The MongolZ
  • 9z Team
  • Eternal Fire
  • MIBR
  • Team Falcons
  • Sangal Esports
  • KOI
  • M80
  • Wildcard Gaming
  • Lynn Vision Gaming
  • ATOX Esports
  • Imperial Esports
  • RED Canids
  • FlyQuest
  • Rooster
  • 3DMAX

Photo credit: Adam Lakomy/ESL

ESL Pro League Season 20: Schedule

ESL Pro League Season 20 kicks off on September 3, 2024 with the Group Stage for three straight weeks of non-stop CS2 action. Groups A and B are up first from September 3 until 8. Groups C and D will be battling from September 10 until 15. We will post their complete schedule as soon as Groups A and B are finished.

All times listed will be in BST, and match winners will be in bold. Bookmark this page to stay up-to-date, as we will ensure all the information displayed is correct and current.

Playoffs Schedule

Round of 16 - September 17

  • 12:00 PM: BIG vs. The MongolZ
  • 12:00 PM: HEROIC vs. Virtus.pro
  • 3:15 PM: FaZe Clan vs. Complexity Gaming
  • 6:30 PM: Team Spirit vs. FURIA Esports

Round of 12 - September 18

  • 12:00 PM: Eternal Fire vs. The MongolZ
  • 12:00 PM: MIBR vs. HEROIC
  • 3:15 PM: Imperial Esports vs. Team Spirit
  • 5:30 PM: Team Liquid vs. Complexity Gaming

Quarterfinals - September 19

  • 3:15 PM: M80 vs. MIBR
  • 6:30 PM: Team Vitality vs. Eternal Fire

Quarterfinals - September 20

  • 3:15 PM: Natus Vincere vs. Team Spirit
  • 6:30 PM: G2 Esports vs. Team Liquid

Semifinals - September 21

  • 3:15 PM: MIBR vs. Eternal Fire
  • 6:30 PM: Natus Vincere vs. G2 Esports

Grand Final - September 22

  • 4:00 PM: Eternal Fire vs. Natus Vincere

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ESL Pro League Season 20: Standings & Prize Pool Distribution

Position

Team Name

Prize Money

BLAST Premier Points

1st

Natus Vincere

$170,000

2,000

2nd

Eternal Fire

$80,000

1,400

3rd - 4th

MIBR, G2 Esports

$45,000

750

5th - 8th

M80, Team Vitality, Team Liquid, Team Spirit

$32,000

275

9th - 12th

The MongolZ, HEROIC, Complexity Gaming, Imperial Esports

$23,500

0

13th - 16th

BIG, Virtus.pro, FaZe Clan, FURIA Esports

$17,500

0

17th - 20th

Sangal Esports, 3DMAX, MOUZ, Red Canids

$12,000

0

21st - 28th

Ninjas in Pyjamas, FlyQuest, 9z Team, Wildcard Gaming

$7,000

0

29th - 32nd

Lynn Vision Gaming, KOI

$3,500

0

Photo credit: ESL

ESL Pro League Season 20: Venue & Live Streams

The ESL Pro League Season 20 Grand Final will be hosted in the heart of St. Julian's, Malta, at the luxurious Intercontinental Malta Hotel before a live audience.

ESL Pro League S20 will be live-streamed on Twitch with a primary and secondary broadcast to accommodate all matches. If you miss the live action, spoiler-free VODs will also be available. These matches will also be shown in other languages; check out the ESL Pro League S20 Liquidpedia page for a list of every available broadcast.

Final Thoughts

That's all our information on ESL Pro League S20, kicking off on September 3, 2024. Bookmark this page to see the current standings, upcoming matches, and match winners.

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