CSGO is arguably the most popular first-person shooter esports game millions of worldwide players play daily. One of the best parts about CSGO is its esports scene, as casual fans can watch the best players compete against each other in front of thousands of fans in attendance. These CSGO tournaments can distribute millions of dollars in prize pools, and the stakes of every one of these CSGO matches increasingly rise. Here are five CSGO tournaments you do not want to miss out on before 2023 ends!
IEM Cologne 2023
Location: Cologne, Germany
Prize Pool: $1,000,000
Number Of Teams: 16
Dates: 27th July – 6th August 2023
IEM Cologne 2023 will likely be the most anticipated tournament of the year because it will be the first big tournament after the player break. There have been numerous roster changes in the professional CSGO scene over the Summer break, and IEM Cologne will be the tournament where teams can show off their new players starting on the 25th of July.
Besides seeing new rosters, IEM Cologne has a massive prize pool of $1,000,000, which sixteen teams will compete for. Eight of the sixteen participants will qualify for the tournament through the IEM Cologne 2023 Play-in, while the remaining eight have already been invited.
The CSGO tournament will return to the LANXESS Arena, where many legendary CSGO moments have occurred. The arena can pool in 20,000 CSGO fans to watch the best teams compete on stage and place their CSGO predictions live.
Gamers8 2023
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Prize Pool: $1,000,000
Number Of Teams: 16
Dates: 16th August – 20th August 2023
Gamers8 2023 is another tournament with a $1,000,000 prize pool. The Middle Eastern tournament is scheduled to run from the 14th of August and end on the 21st and will be the biggest CSGO tournament in Saudi Arabia so far.
Unlike IEM Cologne 2023, fifteen of the sixteen teams have already been decided, with the remaining slot being decided through the second Europe Open Qualifier. The Gamers8 tournament has invited all the top ten teams in the world, so fans are guaranteed to be able to place CSGO predictions and share their CSGO betting tips knowing that the best teams in the world are in attendance. The remaining six teams look to pull off dark horse runs and upset the top-ranking teams.
The venue for the “esports festival” is yet to be announced. Still, Saudi Arabia has been working on developing the esports ecosystem in the country, so expect to see a fantastic arena for this tournament!
ESL Pro League Season 18
Location: Malta
Prize Pool: $850,000
Number Of Teams: 32
Dates: 30th August – 1st October 2023
ESL Pro League Season 18 is a month-long CSGO tournament giving fans weekly action. Being such a long tournament, EPL Season 18 will give fans many matches to discuss their CSGO betting tips and place CSGO predictions on these matches.
The Malta-based event will pool 32 teams, the most out of all the tournaments on the list. CSGO fans will be able to watch the top teams in the world and expect to see some upset potential from lower-ranked teams looking to prove themselves and defy CSGO predictions in this $850,000 tournament.
The ESL Pro League Season 18 winner will receive $200,000 in prize money and direct invites to IEM Katowice 2024 and the BLAST World Final in December 2023. When else will you see the best teams in the world competing non-stop for a month?
BLAST Premier Fall Final 2023
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Prize Pool: $425,000
Number Of Teams: 8
Dates: 22nd November – 26th November 2023
The BLAST Premier Fall Final 2023 is the next tournament to look out for in the second half of the year. The Fall Final is a short CSGO tournament that will run from the 22nd of November and end on the 26th. The tournament will only feature eight teams, but you can expect to see eight of the best teams in the world participating in this tournament for a share of $425,000.
Like every iteration of the BLAST Premier Fall Final, the event will again be held in the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark. The arena can hold 17,000 passionate CSGO fans, and the Fall Finals have always sold out.
The winner of the Fall Final will not only receive $200,000 but will also directly qualify for the $1,000,000 BLAST Premier World Final happening in December 2023.
BLAST Premier World Final 2023
Location: TBA
Prize Pool: $1,000,000
Number Of Teams: 8
Dates: 13th December – 17th December 2023
CSGO always ends every year with the BLAST Premier World Final, which takes place from the 13th to the 17th of December. The $1,000,000 tournament’s location is yet to be announced, but the tournament is already very highly anticipated.
The World Final focuses on the quality of teams rather than quantity, which is why only eight teams will be participating in the tournament. Three teams have already locked themselves in for the CSGO tournament. These three participants are Team Vitality, Heroic, and FaZe Clan, the top three ranked teams in the world.
Two of the remaining five teams will qualify by winning the BLAST Fall Final and ESL Pro League Season 18. Three final teams will be invited depending on their BLAST Rankings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we’ve already had a remarkable year of Counter-Strike, with significant events such as the Paris Major and IEM Dallas being very successful. However, the action for this year doesn’t end there, as we have five incredible tournaments lined up for the second half of the year. These tournaments are perfect for placing CSGO predictions, as you can watch the best of the best compete against each other!
