Counter-Strike Events & Tournaments Calendar

Here are the upcoming and ongoing events of 2024 – 2025

July 2024

United21 League Season 17

• Teams: 6+
• Prize: $10,000Online
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Jul 5th – Jul 9th

Skin.Club Summer Cup 2024

• Teams: 8
• Prize: $16,080
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Jul 8th – Jul 13th

CBCS Season 5

• Teams: 16
• Prize: $20,000
• South America (Online)
• Jul 8th – Jul 14th

5E Arena Asia Cup Fall 2024 – BLAST Premier Qualifier

• Teams: 8
• Prize: Other
• Asia (Online)
• Date: Jul 11th – Jul 13th

CCT Season 2 Europe Series 6

• Teams: 24
• Prize $50,000
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Jul 15th – Jul 28th

ESL Challenger League Season 48 South America

• Teams: 16
• Prize: $60,000
• South America (Online)
• Date: Jul 15th – Oct 20th

ESL Challenger League Season 48 North America

• Teams: 16
• Prize: $80,000
• North America (Online)
• Date: Jul 15th – Oct 20th

ESL Challenger League Season 48 Europe

• Teams: 24
• Prize: $100,000
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Jul 15th – Oct 20th

Ace South American Masters Fall 2024 – BLAST Premier Qualifier

• Teams: 8
• Prize: Other
• South America (Online)
• Date: Jul 18th – Jul 21st

August 2024

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 GCC RMR Open Qualifier

• Teams: TBD
• Prize: Other
• Middle East (Online)
• Date: Aug 21st – Aug 22nd

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 ZA RMR Open Qualifier

• Teams: TBD
• Prize: Other
• South Africa (Online)
• Date: Aug 21st – Aug 22nd

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Middle East RMR Open Qualifier

• Teams TBD
• Prize: Other
• Middle East (Online)
• Date: Aug 21st – Aug 22nd

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 EU RMR Closed Qualifier B

• Teams: 16
• Prize: Other
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Aug 21st – Aug 24th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 EU RMR Closed Qualifier A

• Teams: 16
• Prize: Other
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Aug 21st – Aug 24th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 China RMR Open Qualifier

• Teams: TBD
• Prize: Other
• China (Online)
• Date: Aug 23rd – Aug 24th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 OCE RMR Open Qualifier

• Teams: TBD
• Prize: Other
• Oceania (Online)
• Aug 23rd – Aug 24th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 East Asia RMR Open Qualifier

• Teams: TBD
• Prize: Other
• Asia (Online)
• Date: Aug 25th – Aug 26th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Asia RMR Open Qualifier

• Teams: TBD
• Prize: Other
• Asia (Online)
• Date: Aug 25th – Aug 26th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Middle East RMR Closed Qualifier

• Teams: 8
• Prize: Other
• Middle East (Online)
• Date: Aug 25th – Aug 27th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 SA RMR Closed Qualifier

• Teams: 16
• Prize: Other
• South America (Online)
• Date: Aug 26th – Aug 28th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 NA RMR Closed Qualifier

• Teams: 16
• Prize: Other
• North America (Online)
• Date: Aug 26th – Aug 28th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 OCE RMR Closed Qualifier

• Teams: 8
• Prize: Other
• Oceania (Online)
• Date: Aug 27th – Aug 29th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 China RMR Closed Qualifier

• Teams:8
• Prize: Other
• China (Online)
• Date: Aug 27th – Aug 29th

ESL Impact League Season 6 North America

• Teams: TBA
• Prize: Other
• North America (Online)
• Date: Aug 28th – Oct 20th

ESL Impact League Season 6 South America

• Teams: TBA
• Prize: Other
• South America (Online)
• Date: Aug 28th – Oct 20th

ESL Impact League Season 6 Europe

• Teams: TBA
• Prize: Other
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Aug 28th – Oct 20th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Asia RMR Closed Qualifier

• Teams: 8
• Prize: Other
• Asia (Online)
• Date: Aug 28th – Aug 30th

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 East Asia RMR Closed Qualifier

• Teams: 8
• Prize: Other
• Asia (Online)
• Date: Aug 28th – Aug 30th

October 2024

Thunderpick World Championship 2024

• Teams: 16
• Prize: $100,000
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Oct 1st – Oct 20th

January 2025

BLAST Bounty Season 1

• Teams: 32
• Prize: Other
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Jan 13th – Jan 18th

August 2025

BLAST Bounty Season 2

• Teams: 32
• Prize: Other
• Europe (Online)
• Date: Aug 4th – Aug 9th

Let’s take a look at the various stages of most CS tournaments and events.

Regional Major Rankings (RMR)

Regional Major Rankings (RMR) are used to determine the best teams in each region over a series of tournaments. Points are awarded based on performance, and these points contribute to a team’s ranking. The top-ranked teams in each region, based on the RMR points, can qualify for major events. This system is there to ensure that teams consistently perform well over time rather than relying on a single tournament’s outcome.

Regional Qualifiers

The tournament format usually starts with regional qualifiers – the opening stage of the events, which are preliminary competitions held in different regions around the world. They act as the main pathway for teams to enter the main tournament. Teams from various regions like North America, Europe, Asia, and South America compete within their regions, and the top-performing teams go on to qualify for the main event. This makes sure that there is global representation and gives the opportunity for teams from various parts of the world to showcase their skills.

Group Stage

The Group Stage is typically the first phase of major CS tournaments – and is the first proper elimination stage. In this stage, teams are divided into several groups, where they compete in a round-robin format. Each team plays against every other team in their group. The performance in this stage is massively important, as it determines which teams advance to the next phase of the tournament. The Group Stage is there to filter out the best teams… and is essential in ensuring that only the most competitive teams – the Group Winners move forward.

Challengers Stage

The Challengers Stage often comes just before the main event in major tournaments. This stage features teams that have qualified through regional qualifiers or other pre-tournament competitions. The goal here is to basically give lesser-known teams a chance to compete against more established teams. The teams that perform well in the Challengers Stage earn a spot in the next phase of the tournament, usually the Legends Stage.

Legends Stage

The Legends Stage is the next phase following the Challengers Stage. It features teams that have proven their skills – either by direct invitations due to their past performances or by advancing through the Challengers Stage. The Legends Stage usually includes the top eight teams from the previous major, ensuring a high level of competition. This stage further narrows down the competition, setting the stage for the Champions Stage – for which only the best teams qualify.

Champions Stage

The next stage – and the final stage is The Champions Stage – sometimes referred to as the playoff stage, which is the climax of the tournament – where the best teams compete in a single-elimination playoff format. It usually involves the top eight teams that have advanced from the Legends Stage- with the bottom eight teams being eliminated. This stage is highly competitive and features seriously intense matches as teams vie for the championship title. The Champions Stage is where legends are made, and the tournament winner is crowned.

All of the major events come with a lot of backing – with the top tournaments sponsored by the biggest names in eSports. Let’s take a closer look at some of the main tournament organizers and sponsors.

BLAST

BLAST, a hugely popular Danish operator, is renowned for organizing some of the most prestigious events within the CS (CS2) community – most notably, they orchestrated the Paris Major 2023, which boasted a massive prize pool of $1,250,000 USD – and saw Team Vitality crowned as champions.

Beyond the Paris Major, BLAST regularly hosts various other major events, such as the BLAST Pro Series and the BLAST Premier. These tournaments offer seriously big prize pools, often reaching seven figures. As such, BLAST is considered to be one of the top operators and organizers in the Counter-Strike scene.

PGL

PGL, based in Romania, is another huge player in the CS tournament landscape. They hosted the PGL Major Copenhagen in March 2024, which paid out a grand prize pool of $1,250,000 USD. PGL has an impressive history of organizing major events – including the PGL Major Antwerp 2022, PGL Major Stockholm 2021 (which paid out the largest prize pool in CS history)… and the PGL Major Antwerp 2022: European RMR A and B.

PGL can always be relied upon to deliver high-quality tournaments – and this has made them one of the most impressive operators in the industry.

ESL FACEIT Group

The merger of ESL and FACEIT brought us the formidable ESL FACEIT Group, which is now a powerhouse in the CS tournament scene. They organize some of the biggest events – including the ESL Challenger, ESL Pro League, and ESL Impact League. This merger has allowed them to keep their position as one of the leading operators of CS tournaments and events.

On top of this, the ESL FACEIT Group also manages various smaller events – like the FACEIT Pro League, classified as Monthly Events, with prize pools that are usually around the $20,000 USD mark. These events, although smaller, still make a big contribution to the group’s very impressive portfolio of CS competitions.

DreamHack

DreamHack is celebrated as the biggest computer festival in the world, and it has an impressive history of hosting major CS competitions. Top events like DreamHack Dallas 2019 paid out impressive prize pools, such as $250,000 USD. Although DreamHack’s independent events came to a stop after they merged with ESL, it now supports the operations of the ESL FACEIT Group, so it’s still a major name in the industry.

CSGO500

Also known as Casino 500, CSGO500 is a major platform in skins and crypto gambling – and is up there with industry giants like CSGORoll and CSGOEmpire. Although it is one of the smaller tournament operators, this is the name behind the 500 Casino League, which is categorized under Monthly Events. Prize pools for these events range from $500 to $10,000 USD, offering lots of competitive opportunities for some of the emerging teams.

FISSURE

Last but not least, we have FISSURE, which is a more up-and-coming operator in the CS tournament scene… currently known for organizing the BetBoom Dacha event. With a prize pool of $300,000 USD, FISSURE is gradually definitely starting to make a name for itself in Counter-Strike, building on its highly impressive track record in organizing Dota 2 events. It looks as if they have the potential to be a serious CS Tournament operator in the future.

Let’s take a look at the various types of Counter-Strike tournaments so you can stay up-to-date with all the latest events and matches.

Major Tournaments (Valve Events)

CS Majors are the absolute pinnacle of Counter-Strike events – as they are sanctioned, sponsored, and supervised by the actual game’s developer, Valve. These tournaments are played out twice a year, hosted on LAN – and bring together the world’s best CS teams, all looking to compete for the title of champion.

Valve events stand out thanks to their huge prize pools, currently set at $1,250,000 – and attract the highest number of viewers and the largest betting and wagering activities. Only the very best teams and players qualify for a CS Major, which means that you can expect seriously thrilling matches and exceptional betting opportunities.

S-Tier Tournaments

Following the Majors in importance are the S-Tier Tournaments – which include some of the most prestigious CS competitions and leagues worldwide… such as BLAST Premier, ESL Pro League, Intel Extreme Masters, and the Esports World Cup.

S-Tier Tournaments also come with massive prize pools, which can range from $200,000 up to $1,000,000… and are organized by major names like Intel, BLAST, and ESL. These events also provide plenty of opportunities for betting on matches – that feature the world’s best CS players.

A-Tier Tournaments

Next, we have A-Tier Tournaments, which are a step below the S-Tier Tournaments. This category includes big competitions like the ESL Challenger, RES Regional Series, and ESL Impact League – again, bringing together all the top-level teams and players – and offering big prize pools. They can also act as qualifiers for CS Major Championships.

B-Tier Tournaments

B-Tier Tournaments are a more recent addition to the world of CS tournaments – featuring top-tier 2 teams. These events can either be hosted both online and on LAN… and are generally smaller in scale compared to A-Tier, S-Tier, and Valve events.

Some of the most notable examples of B-Tier Tournaments include the IESF World Esports Championship, ESL Challenger League, RES European Series, and RES Latin American Series – and again, they can also act as qualifiers for CS Major Championships.

C-Tier Tournaments

C-Tier Tournaments are smaller events that are usually played by emerging teams who have not yet become a part of the top-tier rankings. As such, these tournaments tend to have smaller prize pools, are normally hosted online – and are never used as qualifiers for Major Championships.

In this category, you’ll find various competitions, such as the DACH CS Masters and Dust2.dk Ligaen, Dust2 Brasil Liga, YGames PRO Series, and Circuito Retake. Ultimately, these events are a great -platform for new teams to get a bit of experience and recognition in the competitive scene.

Qualifiers

For those teams who are looking to enter the top-end competitions… such as B-Tier and A-Tier Tournaments, success in the Qualifiers category is an absolute must. These qualifiers include competitions such as the NA Revival Cup, Tele2 Gaming, and the IESF World Esports Championship Qualifiers. They act as a filter – and only let the very best-performing teams go through to the biggest events.

Qualifiers don’t usually have prize pools and are normally played online – and are hugely important for teams who are looking to prove themselves and earn a spot in the more prestigious tournaments.

Monthly Events

Monthly Events are regular CS tournaments that go on for a whole month. These events are usually enjoyed by new and emerging teams… offering smaller prize pools that usually range from $1,000 to $20,000 USD. They give teams a great opportunity to show off their skills – and potentially qualify for the even bigger Counter-Strike tournaments.

In this category, you will find events such as the 500 Casino League, the FACEIT Pro League and the Gamers Club Liga Série. If you’re a fan of betting on eSports, they are great for offering a steady stream of new matches and betting opportunities.

Weekly Events

Then, we have weekly events, which are CS tournaments that occur frequently and last for one week. These events come with smaller prize pools – normally somewhere between $500 to $20,000, and are normally played online. They are also open to a wide range of teams regardless of their ranking, giving them the chance to improve their skills – and potentially qualify for even bigger competitions in the future.

Some of the most notable examples of weekly events include the ESL Impact Cash Cup Oceania, ESL Impact Cash Cup North America, ESL Impact Cash Cup South America, and the ESL Impact Cash Cup Europe.

Show Matches

Show Matches are special events that feature matches or small tournaments that are participated in by the top CS teams and players. These events normally occur 2-4 times per year and have prize pools starting from $2,000 to $10,000. While they don’t necessarily provide a solid flow of matches, they are great for offering exclusive competitions and great betting opportunities.

Female-Only Events

Female-Only Events are – as the name suggests – CS competitions that are for female players only. These events can range from A-Tier to C-Tier and have prize pools that can vary from $500 to over $100,000 USD. They are a great platform for female teams to compete at various levels.

Some of the biggest events in this category include the DouyuTV Take Aim! Goddess, IESF Female World Esports Championship and the Gamers Club Liga Série Feminina.

CS tournaments are brilliant – for both players and fans. From the prestigious Majors hosted by Valve to the regular S-Tier, A-Tier, B-Tier, and C-Tier tournaments, there are lots of different events that all come with their own excitement, thrills, opportunities and prize pools.

There are qualifiers and monthly events that are a great way for emerging teams to show off their skills and move up the competitive scale, while weekly events are great for offering players, bettors and fans regular competitive action. Then there are show matches – that always deliver exclusive, high-stakes entertainment… and female-only events that are great for giving talented female players a platform. The great news is that our comprehensive calendar means you get to stay updated on all these events, so you can enjoy the very best matches and even try your hand at CS betting.

So, look through our calendar, see what’s coming up – and get in on the action!

What are CS Tournaments?

CS tournaments are basically thrilling competitions where the very best players and teams from all around the world compete in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS) or Counter-Strike 2 matches. These events range from smaller local showdowns to massive international championships. They include Valve-sponsored Majors, LAN events, online leagues like the ESL Pro League, qualifiers, and regional competitions. There are events for all types of players/

How Many CS Majors Are There Per Year?

The CS Majors are played twice a year. As of now, there have been 20 CS Majors, with the latest being the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, which was held in March 2024. The next Major is set to be the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, which is currently scheduled for December 2024.

How Do CS Tournaments Work?

In CS tournaments, matches normally consist of 30 rounds – and both teams play 15 rounds as Counter-Terrorists and 15 rounds as Terrorists. Depending on how the specific event is formatted and scheduled, matches can be Best of 1 (Bo1), Best of 3 (Bo3), Best of 5 (Bo5), or even Best of 6 (Bo6) if overtime is needed to determine the winner.

However, tournament formats vary by size and importance. The group stage tends to use the Swiss or Single Elimination (SGL) system, followed by Bo3 or Bo5 matches with double elimination brackets during the playoffs and Champions Stages.

Are CS Tournaments Played for Money?

Yes, pretty much all CS tournaments offer financial rewards – particularly the larger ones. Majors, Premier tournaments, and all the main events feature huge cash prizes. Even some of the smaller events… such as C-Tier tournaments, pay out cash prizes, giving all CS teams the chance to earn money. And, of course, fans can get in on the action by betting on matches… adding another layer of excitement.

What is the Biggest Event in Counter-Strike?