IEM Katowice 2023: Everything you need to know

IEM Katowice 2023 is the first 1 million dollars CS:GO tournament of the year and is set to begin on February 1 with the play-in stage.

IEM Katowice, one of the biggest tournaments in esports, returns to Katowice, Poland for the 2023 edition with 24 teams fighting for the much coveted trophy and a share of the $1,000,000 prize pool. The tournament will open the gates for the live audience in the playoffs stage which will be played February 10-12 in the legendary Spodek Arena. Until then, the play-in is ready to start on the first day of February with 16 teams looking to secure one of the 8 slots into the group stage.

IEM Katowice 2023 format

Play-in, February 1 - 3

• 16 teams
• Double elimination bracket
• Opening matches are BO1, all following matches are BO3
• The top eight teams advanced to the Group Stage

Play-in teams

• Ninjas in Pyjamas
• Cloud9
• compLexity Gaming
• Evil Geniuses
• Fnatic
• Grayhound Gaming
• Sprout
• OG
• ENCE
• BIG
• FURIA Esports
• MIBR
• paiN Gaming
• IHC ESPORTS
• Team Spirit
• Permitta Esports

The play-in and the group stages will feature matches taking place at the same time and will all be broadcast on ESL’s main and secondary Twitch channels

 

Group Stage, February 4-7

• 16 teams, 8 directly qualified joined by 8 from the play-in
• Two double-elimination format (GSL) Groups
• All matches are Bo3
• The top three teams from each group advance to the Playoffs
• Group stage winners advance to the Semifinals
• Group stage runners-up advance to the Quarterfinals as the High Seeds
• Group stage 3rd place teams advance to the Quarterfinals as the Low Seeds

Directly qualified teams

• FaZe Clan
• G2 Esports
• Natus Vincere
• Team Vitality
• Team Liquid
• Outsiders
• MOUZ
• Heroic

Playoffs, February 10-12

• Single-Elimination bracket
• Quarterfinals and Semifinals are Bo3
• Grand Final is Bo5

IEM Katowice 2023 action will move in the already sold out Spodek Arena beginning on February 10 with the top 4 teams fighting for the title. The champions will take home $400,000 and will secure a direct invite to IEM Cologne 2023.

IEM Katowice prize pool distribution

• 1st place: $400,000 and qualifies for IEM Cologne 2023
• 2nd place: $180,000
• 3rd/4th place: $80,000
• 5th/ 6th place: $40,000
• 7th/8th place: $24,000
• 9th/12th place: $16,000
• 13th/16th place: $10,000
• 17th/20th place: $4,500
• 21st/24th place: $2,500

^{headline picture credits: Helena Kristiansson | ESL}