The 24 invited Pro League teams were confirmed by ESL for season 11. In addition to a new format, Cloud9 and MIBR both no longer compete.
To order to define a potential competitive landscape, the CSGO is expected to experience some big changes to 2020 after quiet January.
For its 11th season, ESL is launching the “all-new” Pro League, which invites the next campaign from 24 teams from all over the world. The organisation will have both B site League and the BLAST Premier series, which are still to be called.
Recently, Jarek’ Dekay’ Lewis said that eventually the 24 competing teams, together with a new format, would be revealed and that a list of the 24 expected teams would be given. Most of the document is similar, but it varies in two ways.
In the ESL Pro League both Cloud 9 and MIBR, claimed to have decided to play in the B Site Lega, are out of contention and not included in the 24 squads. OG, the leading Dota 2 organisation which expanded into CSGO at the end of 2019, and the reappearance of the Swedish brand under the leadership of the CS legend Markus “pronax” Wallsten, are taking their place.
If the LANXESS agreement is signed by ESL and incentivized teams to participate in the Tournament, the managers of the B platform could be slimmed down if the ESL is. 21 out of 25 top teams ranked in the current rankings were invited into ESL and may not participate in the NA League.
For season 11, the 24 teams will be grouped into four groups, each six, and will be in a round-robin format in Best of Three matches. No more national leagues; everyone is competing in one league. Group winners are having playoff byes and coming second and third in the first round.
The six last playoff teams are set to compete in the stadium for a three-day live event. “The truly global league” will launch on 16 March 2020. The official Pro League page says.
List of qualified teams for season 11 of the ESL Pro League:
- Evil Geniuses
- FNATIC
- Astralis
- Team Liquid
- G2 Esports
- Natus Vincere
- FaZe Clan
- CompLexity
- Mousesports
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- ENCE
- 100 Thieves
- Team Vitality
- OG
- GODSENT
- North
- Heroic
- TyLoo
- Sharks
- Renegades
- forZe
- INTZ
- FURIA
- Virtus.pro
However, well-known teams like Cloud 9, MIBR, Mad Lions, Gen.G and BIG weren’t invited to the ESL Pro League, it’s unknown why.
