{"id":34664,"date":"2026-03-05T23:33:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T23:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/?p=34664"},"modified":"2026-03-05T23:33:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T23:33:26","slug":"esl-pro-league-season-23-stage-2-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/news\/cs-2\/esl-pro-league-season-23-stage-2-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 2 Preview: Teams, Format, and Schedule"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Stage 1 of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pro.eslgaming.com\/csgo\/proleague\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESL Pro League Season 23<\/a><\/strong> is over, and the sixteen teams moving on to Stage 2 are set. The competition is heating up as top teams like <strong>FURIA Esports<\/strong>, <strong>Team Spirit<\/strong>, and <strong>MOUZ <\/strong>get ready to take on both strong contenders and surprising underdogs from Stage 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With just eight playoff spots up for grabs, every series matters. Teams are fighting for a share of the <strong>$776,000 prize pool<\/strong> and a spot in the LAN Finals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is everything you need to know about the Stage 2 format, the teams taking part, and the first matchups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1-450x253.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stage-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ESL Pro League Season 23- Stage 1 Results<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stage 2 Format<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stage 2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>16 Team Swiss System Format<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>All matches are Bo3<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Top 8 teams proceed to the LAN Finals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>Spirit<\/td><td>FURIA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Natus Vincere<\/td><td>Monte<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>FUT<\/td><td>Astralis<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>B8<\/td><td>3DMAX<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Aurora<\/td><td>Legacy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>G2<\/td><td>FaZe<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>paiN<\/td><td>TheMongolZ<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>MOUZ<\/td><td>HEROIC<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">ESL Pro League Season 23 &#8211; Stage 2 Teams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ESL Pro League Season 23: Stage 2 Opening Matches Schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">March 6<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Natus Vincere <\/strong>vs. <strong>Monte <\/strong>and <strong>FUT <\/strong>vs. <strong>Astralis <\/strong>starting at <strong>11:30 CET<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spirit <\/strong>vs. <strong>3DMAX <\/strong>and <strong>Aurora <\/strong>vs. <strong>Legacy <\/strong>starting at <strong>14:00 CET<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>G2 <\/strong>vs. <strong>FaZe <\/strong>and <strong>TheMongolZ <\/strong>vs. <strong>paiN <\/strong>starting at<strong> 16:30 CET<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MOUZ <\/strong>vs. <strong>HEROIC <\/strong>and <strong>FURIA <\/strong>vs. <strong>B8 <\/strong>starting at<strong> 19:00 CET<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Watch ESL Pro League Season 23<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/twitch-1024x340.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-34666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/twitch-1024x340.png 1024w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/twitch-300x100.png 300w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/twitch-768x255.png 768w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/twitch-150x50.png 150w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/twitch-450x149.png 450w, https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/twitch.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Streaming Platform Twitch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Catch every match live on the official <strong>ESL <\/strong>streams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/ESLCS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESL Pro League Season 23 Official Twitch Primary Stream<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/ESLCS\/streams\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESL Pro League Season 23 YouTube Stream<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/ESLCSb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESL Pro League Season 23 Twitch Secondary Stream<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can tune in from anywhere home, work, or on the go, and never miss a clutch moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to Expect from ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Stage 2<\/strong> brings tougher competition on the way to the playoffs. Since only eight teams will make it to the LAN Finals, every match is important. With big-name teams and surprise challengers in the mix, <strong>ESL Pro League Season 23<\/strong> promises exciting games, upsets, and memorable <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.counter-strike.net\/?l=english\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.counter-strike.net\/?l=english\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CS2<\/a> <\/strong>moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fans can look forward to a week of top-tier gameplay as teams fight for a spot in the finals and a chance to win the <strong>ESL Pro League<\/strong> trophy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stage 1 of ESL Pro League Season 23 is over, and the sixteen teams moving on to Stage 2 are set. The competition is heating up as top teams like FURIA Esports, Team Spirit, and MOUZ get ready to take on both strong contenders and surprising underdogs from Stage 1. With just eight playoff spots<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":34665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[5,247],"class_list":{"0":"post-34664","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cs-2","8":"tag-cs2","9":"tag-cs2-tournaments"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34664"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34668,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34664\/revisions\/34668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}