The S-tier event IEM Chengdu 2025 is on its way and starts tomorrow, running from November 3 to November 9. The tournament’s total prize pool is $1 million, consisting of $700,000 for the club share and $300,000 for the player share. Sixteen teams will be attending the event, among the participants are elite-level teams such as the world’s best team, Vitality, second-place team FURIA, Spirit, Natus Vincere, and others. Here, we will break down the tournament format, the opening matches schedule, how to watch and not miss the action, and share our opinions on the favorites & underdogs of this tournament.
Contents
IEM Chengdu 2025 Tournament Format
Group Stage
- Two double-elimination format (GSL) Groups
- Each group has eight teams
- All matches are Bo3
- The top three teams from each group advance to the Playoffs:
- Group stage winners advance to the Semifinals
- Group stage runners-up advance to the Quarterfinals as the High Seeds to the Semifinals
- Group stage 3rd place teams advance to the Quarterfinals as the Low Seeds
Playoffs
- Single-Elimination bracket
- All matches (excl. Grand Final) are Bo3
- The Grand Final is Bo5
IEM Chengdu 2025 Teams, Favorites & Underdogs
| Vitality | Spirit |
| Natus Vincere | FURIA |
| TheMongolZ | Falcons |
| MOUZ | Virtus.pro |
| FaZe | G2 |
| HEROIC | TYLOO |
| 3DMAX | paiN |
| Lynn Vision | Astralis |
Top Contenders
Vitality, FURIA, Falcons, and Spirit will be the main favorites for this tournament. Vitality is still the best team of the year, with no doubt, while the other teams had great results throughout the year and proven that they belong to the top level, making deep playoff runs or even winning some titles. It could also be The MongolZ, but they recently made a roster change, and it was their key player getting benched, so they belong more to the dark horse category before proven otherwise.
Dark Horses
So, for the dark horses of this tournament, it will be TheMongolZ playing their first big tournament after an unexpected roster change they’ve made. Right behind them, it will be G2, Natus Vincere, MOUZ, and FaZe, as all of these teams have the experience needed to make a deep run and give a good fight for a title, but they will need to find consistency and bring their best game, and then there’s no doubt that they can beat any top team.
Underdogs
The rest of the team is underdogs as usual, for the same reasons, such as having less experience than any other team in this tournament. Still, we would like to mention 3DMAX, who have had a few great results recently and made it to the grand final of the CS Asia Championship 2025. They’re the underdog to look out for at this tournament as well. As for the rest of the underdog teams, we have yet to see what they’re capable of on a big stage and if they can even reach the playoffs.
IEM Chengdu 2025 Opening Matches Schedule
November 3
- TYLOO vs. Falcons and FURIA vs. Lynn Vision starting at 04:00 CET
- MOUZ vs. FaZe and VItality vs. Virtus.pro starting at 06:30 CET
- TheMongolZ vs. HEROIC and G2 vs. 3DMAX starting at 09:00 CET
- Astralis vs. Natus Vincere and paiN vs. Spirit starting at 11:30 CET
How to Watch IEM Chengdu 2025
The IEM Chengdu 2025 will be streamed live for viewers worldwide. You can enjoy every thrilling moment at home, at work, or on the go.
There will be official Twitch and YouTube streams:
- IEM Chengdu 2025 Official Twitch Primary Stream
- IEM Chengdu 2025 Official YouTube Stream
- IEM Chengdu 2025 Official Twitch Secondary Stream
All Eyes on Chengdu
As IEM Chengdu kicks off, fans should prepare themselves for an exciting week of top-tier CS2 action. With elite teams participating in the tournament, such as Vitality and FURIA, who are chasing glory once again, and dark horses like TheMongolZ looking to prove themselves with an updated roster, every match promises high stakes and unforgettable moments.
Whether you’re cheering from home or tuning in on the go, don’t miss a second – this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting tournaments of the year.
