As we start moving forward in the second half of 2021, the race to win Season 3 of the Intel Grand Slam has been more thrilling than ever, after Na’Vi managed to win IEM Cologne 2021, their third out of four championships needed in the season, in order to take the 1 million USD grand prize.
Now with the IEM Cologne 2021 being history, it’s time to focus our attention on the ESL Pro League, as Season 14 begins in August, with some of the best CS:GO teams from around the world battling for pride and glory.
Let’s take a look at all of the teams that will be part of the ESL Pro League Season 14, as well as the matches' schedule, and what will be at stake for those who finish at the top, i.e. the prize pool.
ESL Pro League Season 14: Teams and format
As always, the 12 teams who are part of the ESL Pro League as permanent partners will be joined by another 12 squads, qualified through the ESL World Rankings, or by being the champions and runners-up from the ESEA Premier Circuits.
Group Stage
All of the 24 organizations will be divided into four groups of six teams each, where each of the teams will face each other in a series of best-of-three matches, in a single round-robin format.
After the matches of this stage are over, the second and third seed of each group will advance to the Playoffs into the Round of 12.
Play-In and Playoffs
Meanwhile, the top teams from Groups A and B, and Groups C and D, will battle against the other in a best-of-three series in the Play-In.
The winners of the Play-Ins matches will move on to the Semifinals, while the losers will be waiting for their opponents in the Quarterfinals.
Lastly, the Playoffs will be played using a single-elimination bracket, with all rounds being played on a best-of-three format, except for the Grand Finals which will feature a best-of-five match.
ESL Pro League Season 14: Prize Pool
The Season 14 of the ESL Pro League features the standard prize pool of $750,000 USD, while every team will be awarded a $5,000 USD bonus for each group stage win.
In addition, the top teams from the tournament will have the chance to accumulate more Circuit Points for both the ESL Pro Tour and the BLAST Premier 2021 season, based on their final standings.
- 1st Place: $ 175,000 USD, 1,300 ESL Points, and 2,800 BLAST Points
- 2nd Place: $ 60,000 USD, 1,000 ESL Points, and 1,400 BLAST Points
- 3rd-4th Place: $ 30,000 USD, 775 ESL Points, and 875 BLAST Points
- 5th-6th Place: $ 15,000 USD, 575 ESL Points, and 350 BLAST Points
- 7th-8th Place: $ 12,500 USD, 400 ESL Points, and 175 BLAST Points
- 9th-12th Place: $ 10,000 USD, and 250 ESL Points
- 13th-16th Place: $ 7,000 USD, and 100 ESL Points
- 17th-20th Place: $ 5,000 USD, and 50 ESL Points
- 21th-24th Place: $ 3,000 USD
The team that rises as the champions of the ESL Pro League Season 14 will get the opportunity to increase their title record in the race for the million dollars of the Intel Grand Slam Season 3, and receive a direct ticket into the BLAST Premier World Final 2021.
ESL Pro League Season 14: Schedule and How to watch
The action of the Group Stage is scheduled to begin on 16th August 2021, with each of the group matches being held on these days:
- Group A: 16-20th August
- Group B: 21st-26th August
- Group C: 27th-31st August
- Group D: 1st-5th September
The Play-In and the Playoffs will be held during the first half of September, with the Grand Finals set to be played on 12th September.
You can follow all the emotions and the plays of the ESL Pro League Season 14 through its official channels on Twitch and YouTube.
Don’t forget to check out our CS:GO dedicated section, with news, guides, esports coverage, and more.