ESL Pro League Season 21 begins March 1, 2025 at Stockholm where 16 days of Counter-Strike battle will take place in one of the most awaited Esports tournaments. This tournament involves twenty-four elite teams fighting for victory while competing for a huge $400,000 prize award where spectators can experience breathtaking clutches alongside insane flicks during this memorable event.
ESL Pro League Season 21 Schedule and Tournament Format
Stage 1 (March 1 – 5)
- 16 teams enter the *Swiss System showdown – every match is a Best of 3 (Bo3), meaning no easy wins!
- Only the top 8 teams survive and advance to Stage 2.
Stage 2 (March 7 – 11)
- Another 16-team Swiss System showdown, with every match played as a Bo3.
- The top 8 teams punch their ticket to the Playoffs, where legends are made!
Playoffs (March 13 – 16)
- Single-elimination bracket – one loss, and you’re out!
- Quarterfinals & Semifinals: Bo3 showdowns for ultimate intensity.
- Grand Final: A Best of 5 (Bo5) war to crown the ultimate champion!
*What is the Swiss System showdown?
Every match in this high-stakes Bo3 battleground is a fight for survival! The first round kicks off with team-seeded matchups, but from there, it’s all about Live ELO Ratings and adapting to the pressure. Win early? You get paired with the best in the “High” bracket. Struggle? You battle it out in “Low” to stay alive. By the third round, teams are split into three groups—one step from glory or the brink of elimination. The tension peaks in rounds four and five, where every match could mean a ticket to the next stage or a heartbreaking exit.
Prize Pool for the ESL Pro League S21
The stakes are sky-high with a massive $400,000 prize pool up for grabs! The champions of the ESL Pro League Season 21 will walk away with $100,000, while the runner-up bags $50,000.
But that’s just the beginning—here’s the full prize breakdown and tournament format. Who will rise to claim the throne?
| PLACE | PRIZE MONEY | CLUB REWARD |
| 1st | $100,000 | $150,000 |
| 2nd | $50,000 | $75,000 |
| 3rd-4th | $25,000 | $55,000 |
| 5th-8th | $18,000 | $40,000 |
| 9th-11th | $13,500 | $25,000 |
| 12th-14th | $10,500 | $10,000 |
| 15th-16th | $8,500 | – |
| 17th-19th | $6,500 | – |
| 20th-22nd | $4,500 | – |
| 23rd-24th | $3,000 | – |
SEE: G2 Esports Destroys Team Spirit and Clinches Blast Premier World Final 2024 Win!
Counter-Strike ESL Pro League Season 21 Teams
One of the biggest shockers heading into ESL Pro League Season 21 is the absence of FaZe Clan from the lineup. The powerhouse squad has reportedly opted out of the event, a surprising decision given their usual dominance on the big stage. But with a packed CS2 calendar featuring tournaments from StarLadder, PGL, and more, teams are now forced to strategically pick their battles.
That said, the full list of teams for this year’s Counter Strike 2 ESL Pro League S21 is as follows:
- 3DMAX
- Eternal Fire
- FlyQuest
- FURIA
- G2 Esports
- GamerLegion
- HEROIC
- Housebets
- Lynn Vision
- M80
- MIBR
- Mindfreak
- MOUZ
- Natus Vincere
- Nemiga Gaming
- NRG
- paiN Gaming
- SAW
- Team Falcons
- Team Liquid
- Team Spirit
- Team Vitality
- The MongolZ
- TYLOO
