There are a few places that are sacred in Counter-Strike 2’s esports scene, like the Spodek, the heart of IEM Katowice. This year, the best teams from all around the world are once again gathering in Poland to compete in the historic tournament.
From 2025 onwards, CS2 tournament organizers must comply with Valve’s new rules. One of them is that most invites for pivotal events have to be distributed based on Valve’s Global Standings. The case is no different with IEM Katowice 2025, which will feature the top 24 squads from around the world.
IEM Katowice 2025 format, explained
Luckily, the format for IEM Katowice 2025 hasn’t changed when compared to the last few years. There are two parts of the tournament: play-in and group stage. Eight best teams received a direct invite to the latter, while the remaining 16 have to battle it out in the play-in stage first.
In the first stage, 16 squads are divided into a double-elimination bracket, from which eight teams will be advancing forward to the groups. If a team don’t lose a single series, all they need are two wins to qualify. Speaking of series, all of them are best-of-three except the grand final, which will be a best-of-five spectacle.
In the group stage, 16 participating lineups are divided into two groups. Each of them is also displayed in a double-elimination bracket, with the winners of the upper bracket advancing directly to the semifinals. The remaining four teams proceed to the quarterfinals.
A jaw-dropping $1,000,000 is on the table, with the winner earning $400,000. Additionally, they will also get closer to snatching the Intel Grand Slam Season five title. Astralis, Team Liquid, Natus Vincere and FaZe Clan have claimed previous seasons. Team Spirit will be trying to defend their title after securing last year’s trophy.
IEM Katowice 2025 teams and standings
In the play-in stage, reaching the top eight matters, while in the group stage, teams want to reach top three in their respective brackets.
Play-in stage standings
| Place | Team |
|---|---|
| TBD | Team Liquid |
| TBD | FURIA Esports |
| TBD | paiN Gaming |
| TBD | MIBR |
| TBD | 3DMAX |
| TBD | Eternal Fire |
| TBD | GamerLegion |
| TBD | Complexity |
| TBD | SAW |
| TBD | BIG |
| TBD | FlyQuest |
| TBD | Astralis |
| TBD | Wildcard |
| TBD | Virtus.pro |
| TBD | Imperial Female |
| TBD | HEROIC |
Group stage standings
| Group A place | Team | Group B place | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | G2 Esports | TBD | Natus Vincere |
| TBD | Team Falcons | TBD | Team Spirit |
| TBD | Team Vitality | TBD | MOUZ |
| TBD | FaZe Clan | TBD | The MongolZ |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
IEM Katowice 2025 schedule and results
Since the play-in stage remains unresolved, we’ll focus solely on it until it finishes. It’s beginning on Wednesday Jan. 29 and running until Friday, Jan. 31. The Group Stage is bound to begin immediately after, with the first matches starting on Saturday, Feb. 1.
IEM Katowice 2025 play-in stage schedule and results
Wednesday, Jan. 29
- 3:30am CT: 3DMAX vs. FlyQuest
- 3:30am CT: paiN vs. Virtus.pro
- 6am CT: Astralis vs. MIBR
- 6am CT: SAW vs. GamerLegion
- 8:30am CT: Wildcard vs. BIG
- 8:30am CT: Imperial Female vs. FURIA
- 11am CT: Liquid vs. HEROIC
- 11am CT: Complexity vs. Eternal Fire
Thursday, Jan. 30
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
Friday, Jan. 31
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
- TBA CT: TBD vs. TBD
We’ll add the schedules of both group stage and playoffs once the play-in stage is concluded.
How to watch IEM Katowice 2025
Fans have a few ways of following the action in southern Poland, but the two most popular and convenient ones are tuning in via ESL channels on Twitch and YouTube. In times when there are two or more matches at the same time, keep an eye out on secondary channels on both platforms, since all games are covered live.
If you’re seeking a non-English commentary, there should be plenty, and you should easily locate it by visiting ESL’s official event page.
