Katowice, Cologne headline revamped 2025 CS2 calendar
The ESL FACEIT Group revealed a revamped schedule for the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) in 2025 that will feature a pair of championship events at IEM Katowice and IEM Cologne.
It's part of an overhauled ecosystem for the CS2 esports circuit outlined by the group on Friday. It will also include five Masters-level competitions, the ESL Pro League Seasons 21 and 22, IEM Dallas, IEM Chengdu and an IEM event in April that will be announced at a later date.
Adhering to Valve's rules for the CS2 esports ecosystem moving forward, the EPT will include an open slot system that gives semi-pro and pro CS2 teams opportunities to compete in regional qualifiers around the world.
The group announced an $11 million annual contribution towards teams and players participating in the circuit, which features a $1 million prize to the winner of the Intel Grand Slam race.
"The EPT for Counter-Strike 2 is the definition of EFG's commitment to fostering a fruitful competitive environment and continually nourishing Counter-Strike's heritage, as we've done since 2000," said Marc Winther, ESL FACEIT Group's director of game ecosystems. "With a circuit that spans multiple continents and integrates diverse levels of competition, we are excited to further fuel opportunities for world-class teams and passionate fans alike."
The group said that CS2 in 2024 generated more than 140 million hours of competition watched worldwide.
IEM Katowice: Jan. 29-Feb. 9
ESL ProLeague Season 21: Feb. 25-March 16
IEM Spring 2025: April 21-27
IEM Dallas 2025: May 19-25
IEM Cologne 2025: June 23-Aug. 3
ESL ProLeague Season 22: Sept. 23-Oct. 12
IEM Chengdu 2025: Nov. 3-9
The ESL Pro Tour Championships take place twice per year and feature the top 24 teams from around the world. The final three days of competition at Katowice will take place in front of a live audience at the Spodek Arena, while Cologne's final three days will take place live at LANXESS Arena.
The ESL Pro Tour Masters events will see teams from around the world compete on stages in an effort to earn points for each EPT Championship season. The Masters-level tournaments will feature 16 teams competing in best-of-three series leading up to best-of-five grand finals.
Meanwhile, new competitive CS2 teams from select regions can begin working to climb the ladder through ESEA Leagues hosted on the FACEIT platform.
