On October 7, the Swiss stage of ESL Pro League Season 24 concluded, determining all eight teams that will continue the fight for the trophy in the playoffs. Over five tournament days, 16 teams fought for a spot on the stage at Spodek Arena in Katowice, while for some of the favorites, the tournament ended much earlier than expected.
ESL Pro League Season 24 takes place in Katowice from October 3 to 11, with a total prize pool of $1 million. In the Swiss stage, each team could play up to five matches: three wins guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, while three losses meant elimination.
MOUZ and Vitality — Flawless Start
MOUZ and Vitality navigated the Swiss stage best of all. Both teams finished the stage with a 3:0 record, without losing a single series.
MOUZ consecutively defeated M80, FURIA, and Spirit. The 2:0 victory over Spirit was especially important. For the "Dragons," this loss was their first in Swiss groups in 668 days — prior to this, the team had won 32 such matches in a row.
Vitality also had a confident stage. The French team defeated 1win, NAVI, and Falcons. The last series turned out to be the most intense: Vitality lost the first map, but managed to turn the match around and finish it with a score of 2:1.
Falcons, Aurora, and 1win — Three More Playoff Participants
Three more teams guaranteed themselves a spot in the playoffs after four rounds.
Falcons started with victories over TYLOO and Aurora, after which they lost to Vitality, but defeated NAVI in the fourth round. Ultimately, the team finished the Swiss stage with a 3:1 record.
Aurora also posted a 3:1 result. After a victory over 9z and a loss to Falcons, the team defeated BetBoom, and then FURIA. It was the victory over the Brazilians that allowed Aurora to secure their playoff ticket early.
The main sensation of this trio was 1win. The team started the tournament with a loss to Vitality, but after that defeated G2, Legacy, and sensationally beat Spirit. It was the victory over one of the main tournament favorites that became the biggest surprise of the Swiss stage.
Spirit Almost Left Behind
Spirit were one of the main favorites of ESL Pro League Season 24, but their Swiss stage turned into a real fight for survival.
The team started the tournament with a victory over ShindeN, but then lost to MOUZ, and in the fourth round sensationally lost to 1win. Thus, the team with a 2:2 record was forced to play a decisive match against M80.
In it, Spirit finally pulled themselves together and confidently won 2:0, taking the last playoff ticket. On Dust2, the team won 13:6, and on Cache, they brought the series to a victory with a score of 13:10.
FURIA Saved at the Last Moment
The final participant in the playoffs was FURIA. The Brazilians had a tough path: after a victory over BetBoom, they lost to MOUZ, defeated PARIVISION, and then lost to Aurora.
In the decisive match, FURIA met 9z and left their opponent no chance — 2:0. The team won Nuke 13:7, and then crushed their opponent on Inferno — 13:3.
This qualification was especially important for FURIA veteran Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo. For the legendary Brazilian, this may be the last opportunity to raise the trophy on the Spodek Arena stage.
PARIVISION Knocked Out NAVI
The last playoff ticket was played out in a match between NAVI and PARIVISION. For the Ukrainian organization, this was a particularly important match, as a victory would practically guarantee the team a spot at PGL Major Singapore.
NAVI started the series confidently, taking Inferno with a score of 13:8. However, PARIVISION responded with a victory on Cache — 13:10, after which the teams headed to Mirage.
There, PARIVISION managed to hold their advantage and finished the map 13:11. Thus, NAVI remained outside the playoffs, while PARIVISION reached this stage of the tournament for the first time since Abay "HObbit" Khassenov permanently joined the roster.
Main Disappointments of the Swiss Stage
The biggest disappointment was G2. The team started with a loss to NAVI, then lost to 1win, after which they were only able to defeat ShindeN. In the fourth round, G2 lost to PARIVISION and ended their tournament run after just three matches.
Legacy also failed to live up to expectations. The team approached the tournament with high positions in the global rankings, but finished the Swiss stage with only one victory. Legacy defeated ShindeN, but lost to PARIVISION, 1win, and M80.
NAVI deserves a separate mention. The Ukrainian team didn't fail completely, securing two victories, but losses to Vitality, Falcons, and PARIVISION left the team without playoffs. For NAVI, this is a particularly painful result against the backdrop of the struggle to qualify for the Major.
Who Will Play in the Playoffs?
Based on the results of the Swiss stage, the following teams advanced to the playoffs:
- MOUZ — 3:0
- Vitality — 3:0
- Falcons — 3:1
- Aurora — 3:1
- 1win — 3:1
- FURIA — 3:2
- PARIVISION — 3:2
- Spirit — 3:2
Four matchups await us in the quarterfinals: 1win vs. Aurora, Vitality vs. PARIVISION, FURIA vs. MOUZ, and Falcons vs. Spirit. The matches will take place on October 9 on the LAN stage of Spodek Arena in Katowice.
The Swiss stage has already delivered several big sensations, but the main battle for the million-dollar prize pool is just beginning. Special attention will be paid to Spirit, who almost dropped out before reaching the arena, as well as 1win and PARIVISION — two teams that have already surprised the favorites and will now try to do the same in the playoffs.
As a reminder, Valve has accepted BC.Game's appeal, allowing the team to qualify for the PGL Singapore Major from Asia.