ESL Pro League Stage 2 kicks off tomorrow, October 4, and will run until October 10. Sixteen teams will have to fight for a playoff stage, and only eight teams will make it through. The top 5 teams in the world are participating – Vitality, Spirit, TheMongolZ, MOUZ, and FURIA; all of these teams have something to prove and will try hard to keep their spot in the rankings. Here we will break down the Stage 2 format, teams list, and share our opinion on the favorites & underdogs of this stage.
Contents
ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 2 Format
- 16 Team Swiss System Format
- All matches are Bo3
- Top 8 teams proceed to Playoffs
ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 2 Teams
| Vitality | Spirit |
| TheMongolZ | MOUZ |
| FURIA | Aurora |
| FaZe | Falcons |
| G2 | Gentle Mates |
| Astralis | Inner Circle |
| GamerLegion | 3DMAX |
| HOTU | Natus Vincere |
ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 2 Favorites & Underdogs
Top Contenders
For the Top Contenders list, we would name Vitality, TheMongolZ, FURIA, Spirit, and MOUZ as the top five teams, but we would also include BLAST Fall champions G2. As there are eight spots at the playoff stage, we would also like to add teams like Falcons and FaZe to that list, considering both teams’ recent performance at different tournaments.
Dark Horses
As for the dark horses team, it will be Natus Vincere, Aurora, Astralis, and GamerLegion.
Natus Vincere was one of the best teams last year, and they might see them getting their form back any time, as they have all the individual skills and experience they need.
Aurora has been to a few playoff stages of recent tournaments, but their inconsistency has raised questions about them. If they find consistency, they will be one of the top contenders to make it to the playoff stage.
Astralis and GamerLegion are on this list because they have had some success at previous tournaments, and on a good day, they can beat most of the teams.
Underdogs
The rest of the participating teams will be on the underdog list as they all have less experience and results or achievements to judge from. It’s worth mentioning teams like HOTU and 3DMAX, who beat a few top teams at the most recent tournament and showed their potential.
Stage 2 Opening Matches Schedule
October 4
- MOUZ vs. GamerLegion and Spirit vs. Inner Circle starting at 10:30 CET
- Falcons vs. Astralis and TheMongolZ vs. HOTU starting at 13:00 CET
- Aurora vs. Natus Vincere and Vitality vs. Gentle Mates starting at 15:30 CET
- G2 vs. FaZe and FURIA vs. 3DMAX starting at 18:00 CET
How to Watch ESL Pro League Season 22
Catch every match live on the official ESL streams:
- IEM Melbourne 2025 Official Twitch Primary Stream
- IEM Melbourne 2025 Official YouTube Stream
- IEM Melbourne 2025 Official Twitch Secondary Stream
You can tune in from anywhere—home, work, or on the go—and never miss a clutch moment.
Who Will Rise in Stage 2?
Stage 2 of ESL Pro League Season 22 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive chapters of the year. With elite world-class teams like Vitality, TheMongolZ, and Spirit fighting to show the best level of, and dark horses like Natus Vincere and Aurora looking to upset the balance, every series will count. The tournament format leaves little room for mistakes — one bad day could cost a playoff spot.
This stage promises big storylines, huge upsets, and highlight plays that will be remembered. The only question is: which team will rise and claim their spot in the playoffs?
