The new league will allow more Asian teams to enter the Masters level of the ESL Pro Tour.
ESL Gaming, the world’s leading esports company announces the roll-out of a further improved ESL Challenger structure within the esports ecosystem of ESL Pro Tour for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. For the upcoming Season 40 on ESEA, ESL is adding a new League division for Asia-Pacific, providing a clear path for Asian teams to enter the Masters level of ESL Pro Tour.
The new ESL Challenger League division for Asia-Pacific (previously named ESEA Premier) with a total prize pool of $20,000 per season represents the doorway for aspiring local teams to compete regionally.
New ESL Challenger League in Asia-Pacific on ESEA
For Season 40, teams can qualify in one of three ways:
- Two teams will be invited via the ESL World Ranking
- The top eight teams from the Season 39 open Division will qualify into ESL Challenger League based on the playoff standings
- Another six teams will qualify via the following set of qualifiers
Each qualifier will be a best of one single elimination bracket. The qualifying match will be a best of three. The top two teams from each qualifier will advance to ESL Challenger League for Season 40 in Asia-Pacific. Players will need an ESEA Premium membership to participate, just as they will do during the upcoming Season 40. The top ESL Challenger League team in Asia-Pacific will qualify to the ESL Pro League Conference in a structure that is announced each season.
ESL ANZ Champs update
This new league is on the back of the announcement of the additional two tiers of competition under the ESL ANZ Champs banner, a league designed for the Australian and New Zealand market. The new tiers are called ANZ Main and ANZ Amateur.
The new ecosystem in Australia and New Zealand will feature a collective total of AUD 55,000 ($ 39,400) of cash prizing across all three leagues. The top two teams in each season will be given a slot into the global ESL Pro League Conference – the first stage of the ESL Pro League.
The introduction of the two leagues will help in the ESL Pro Tour expansion as more teams from the Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand into the Pro Tour circuit.