CS 2
With so many CS2 events going on all year round, it can take a lot of work to stay on the right track. The blix.gg team has tried to help everyone passionate about CS2, and we have selected the best events not to be missed!
You can follow various teams throughout the year, including major champions such as Team Vitality. Other big names include G2 Esports, FaZe Clan, Astralis, Cloud9, and Team Spirit.
The leading companies organizing Counter-Strike 2 competitions are ESL, PGL, Perfect World, and BLAST.
Highlights
- Details of the biggest CS2 Tournaments 2024
- Analyzing the key events that are shaping the competitive scene
- A description of tournament formats, prize pools, and the teams and players to watch out for
We've only just entered March 2024 and witnessed some exciting Counter-Strike 2 action, courtesy of Team Spirit and donk. The 17-year-old wreaked havoc in his debut S-level tournament, defeating all opponents on his way to winning IEM Katowice 2024.
Moreover, he repeated the record for the best performance at an S-level tournament, previously held by NiKo at IEM New York 2017.
At IEM Katowice, FaZe also reached their sixth consecutive CS2 tournament grand finals, having won the first three. With this level of stability, they will be one of the favorites for the upcoming PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen.
However, the victory in the tournament went to Team Spirit.
Over 17 teams have reserved their place at the European RMR tournaments, including the first CS2 Major. Among the absentees are Astralis, Team Falcons, Monte, GamerLegion, and NIP.
Seven more teams will join the European competition - two from RMR Asia and five from the Americas. The biggest CS2 tournament is just around the corner: the first round of the Major starts on March 17.
So, our TOP CS2 Competitions 2024 includes five events that will not leave anyone indifferent.
Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024
Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024
Prize pool: $1.25 million
Number of teams: 24
Date: December, 1 - December, 15, 2024
Shanghai Major is the second-ever CS2 championship. The event, organized by Perfect World, will be held in Shanghai, China.
Unfortunately for spectators in the region, Asian teams have never been among the top teams in CS. Still, it will be interesting to see which Asian teams qualify and whether they can take advantage of the home crowd.
The open stage will be held on the Swiss system with 16 teams, and at the qualifying stage, we will see another format of the Swiss system with 16 teams. The last eight teams will meet in the playoff stage (single-elimination grid).
Keep an eye out for broadcasts in our CS2 section.
BLAST Premier – Sven-Event Circuit
BLAST Premier – Sven-Event Circuit
Prize pool: $1 million
Number of teams: 8
Date: November, 13 - November, 17, 2024
BLAST Premier: Spring Showdown 2024 was held from March 6-10, 2024, and its prize pool is $135,000. Sixteen teams participated in BLAST Spring 2024. The top two teams from BLAST Spring 2024 will advance to BLAST Premier: Spring Final 2024 in June, where the prize pool will be $425,000.
The BLAST Premier Fall Finals will be held September 25 - September 29, where the prize pool will also be $425,000.
After the spring and fall series, BLAST Premier World Final 2024 will occur at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The top eight CS2 teams battle it out in two GLS-style groups with elimination after two losses, followed by a one-loss elimination playoff grid, where all matches will be played to two wins.
Watch BLAST Premier World Final 2024 matches via the BLAST Premier Twitch and BLAST Premier YouTube channels.
Intel Extreme Masters
Intel Extreme Masters
The Intel Extreme Masters series will feature five tournaments in 2024:
Tournament name: IEM Katowice 2024
Dates: January 31 – February 11
Prize pool: $1 million
Number of teams: 24
Tournament name: IEM Chengdu 2024
Dates: April 8-14
Prize pool: $250.000
Number of teams: 16
Tournament name: IEM Dallas 2024
Dates: May 27 – June 2
Prize pool: $250.000
Number of teams: 16
Tournament name IEM Cologne 2024
Dates: August 7-18
Prize pool: $1 million
Number of teams: 24
Tournament name: IEM Fall 2024
Dates: October 7-13
Prize pool: $250.000
Number of teams: 16
Follow the broadcasts in our CS2 section, and check out our news section for predictions for upcoming events.
ESL Pro League — Seasons 19
ESL Pro League
Prize pool: $750,000
Number of teams: 32
Date: April, 23 - May, 12, 2024
Thirty-two top CS2 teams will gather at the InterContinental Malta Stadium in St. Julian's, Malta, to compete in ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 19. The action begins with a group stage consisting of four groups in a triple elimination format, followed by a playoff with elimination after one loss.
Watch the ESL Season 19 matches in our CS2 section or on the ESLCS Twitch and ESLCS YouTube channels.
In the same year, but already in the fall, ESL Pro League Season 20 will be held. From September 3 to 22, 32 teams will also compete for $750,000.
PGL Major Copenhagen 2024
Prize pool: $1.25 million
Number of teams: 24
Date: March, 17 - March, 31, 2024
CS Majors are one of the most prestigious cybersports tournaments in the world. This year's draw will be held for the first time on the updated version of the game.
PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 is the first CS2 Major Championship to feature teams qualified through regional RMR tournaments.
Valve has changed the names of the Major Championship stages for CS2, so this tournament will begin with the Opening Stage (formerly Challengers), which boasts a Swiss System format with 16 teams.
This is followed by an Elimination Stage (formerly Legends) with another Swiss System format with 16 teams.
The final eight teams will face off in a single-elimination playoff at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The 16 teams that will start their Major journey in the Opening Stage are:
Cloud9, Eternal Fire, ENCE, Apeks
Heroic, 9Pandas, SAW, FURIA
ECSTATIC, TheMongolz, Imperial, paiN
Lynn Vision, AMKAL, KOI, Legacy
Cloud9 is the highest-ranked team in the Opening Stage, while Marcelo "coldzera" David's Legacy team is the lowest-ranked.
Anyone watching the tournament should follow teams like Team Vitality. The legendary sharpshooter Mathieu "ZywOo" Erbo team has shown that they can quickly adapt to the new version of the game. However, in February, Vitality crashed out in the early stages of IEM Katowice, Denmark.
Also, remember FaZe Clan - the world-ranking leader and experienced MOUZ team.
Watch PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 matches in our CS2 section or on the PGL Twitch and PGL YouTube channels.
FAQ
What are the prize pools for the biggest CS2 tournaments in 2024?
Each tournament has a different prize pool, but this year's most significant prize money is 1.25 million dollars.
How can teams qualify for major CS2 tournaments?
Qualification for major CS2 tournaments is up to the tournament organizers and may vary from event to event.
If we talk about common ways to qualify, the first is online qualifications: tournament organizers may hold online qualifications in which teams compete for a spot in the tournament.
The second option is regional qualifications. Teams from certain countries or continents compete for a place in the tournament within their region.
The third way is through ranking systems, where teams that perform well and have high positions in the rankings get advantages when qualifying for tournaments.
Which CS2 tournaments have the highest viewership?
The most spectacular CS2 tournaments are, of course, the Majors, as well as BLAST Premier.
