The draw for the group stage of IEM Katowice has been made, with the 16 teams having been split into two double-elimination groups.
The $500,000 Polish event will run from February 27 to March 4 and will feature the new format designed by ESL for its 16-team competitions, starting with two double-elimination groups of eight teams.
The two group winners will automatically progress to the semi-finals, while the losing the finalist and the team coming out of the lower bracket will be placed in the quarter-finals. The playoffs will take place in front of a live audience at the Spodek Arena and will culminate with the best-of-five grand final, on Sunday at 18:00.
Below you can find the group draw in full:
Group A | Group B |
SK | FaZe |
Astralis | NiP |
Liquid | G2 |
TyLoo | fnatic |
Cloud9 | Heroic |
Gambit | Virtus.pro |
Renegades | North |
AVANGAR | ORDER |
Main Tournament Schedule
Group play: February 27, 28, March 1
Playoffs round 1: March 2
Playoffs semi finals: March 3
Grand final: March 4
FEBRUARY 27
Stream A schedule:
12:00 CET / 6 am EST Renegades vs. Astralis
13:10 CET / 7:10 am EST Liquid vs. Gambit
14:20 CET / 8:20 am EST NiP vs. North
15:30 CET / 9:30 am EST G2 vs. Virtus.pro
16:40 CET / 10:40 am EST Group A Upper Semi #1
20:10 CET / 2:10 pm EST Group A Upper Semi #2
Stream B schedule:
12:00 CET / 6 am EST SK Gaming vs. AVANGAR
13:10 CET / 7:10 am EST TyLoo vs. Cloud9
14:20 CET / 8:20 am EST FaZe vs. ORDER
15:30 CET / 9:30 am EST Heroic vs. Fnatic
16:40 CET / 10:40 am EST Group A Lower Game #1
20:10 CET / 2:10 pm EST Group A Lower Game #2
FEBRUARY 28
Stream A schedule:
12:00 CET / 6 am EST Group B Lower Bracket
15:30 CET / 9:30 am EST Group B Upper Semi Final
19:00 CET / 1pm EST Group B Upper Bracket Semi Final
Stream B schedule:
12:00 CET / 6 am EST Group B Lower Bracket
15:30 CET / 9:30 am EST Group A Lower Bracket
19:00 CET / 1pm EST Group A Lower Bracket
MARCH 1
Stream A schedule:
12:00 CET / 6 am EST Group B Lower Bracket
15:30 CET / 9:30 am EST Group A Lower Bracket Final
19:00 CET / 1pm EST Group B Lower Bracket Final
Stream B schedule:
12:00 CET / 6 am EST Group B Lower Bracket
15:30 CET / 9:30 am EST Group A Upper Bracket Final
19:00 CET / 1pm EST Group B Upper Bracket Final
* matches on March 1 might be switched between Stream A and Stream B depending on which teams play in them.
MARCH 2
Stream A schedule:
13:00 CET / 7 am EST Playoffs Match 1
16:50 CET / 10:50 am EST Playoffs Match 2
MARCH 3
Stream A schedule:
11:00 CET / 5 am EST Polish Super Cup (ESL Poland stream)
15:00 CET / 9 am EST Semi Final 1
18:50 CET / 12:50 pm EST Semi Final 2
MARCH 4
Stream A schedule:
17:00 CET / 11 am EST Grand Final (best of 5)
Format
16 teams will compete for 8 spots in the playoffs.
- Two GSL groups of 8 teams
- Group 2nds play group 3rds in the first round of playoffs
- Group winners are seeded directly into the semifinals