ESL Grand Slam VI Overview

The ESL Grand Slam is one of the most prestigious achievements in Counter-Strike. The first team to win four ESL tournaments within a span of ten eligible events earns a $1,000,000 prize, which is paid directly to the players. FURIA has become the third team to join this race. In this article, we’ll explain what the ESL Grand Slam is and take a look at the teams that have already claimed this legendary title.

What is the ESL Grand Slam

The ESL Grand Slam series in Counter-Strike was introduced in 2018. The first season began with ESL One Cologne 2017 and concluded in December 2018, when Astralis became the inaugural champions by winning four major tournaments — IEM Katowice 2018, ESL Pro League Season 7 Finals, ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals, and IEM Chicago 2018. Since then, the ESL Grand Slam has evolved into one of the most respected series in competitive CS, uniting the biggest ESL and Intel Extreme Masters events and symbolizing true dominance on the professional stage.

The ESL Grand Slam offers a $1,000,000 prize to the first team that wins four S-Tier ESL-organized tournaments within a window of ten consecutive events, including IEM Kraków, IEM Cologne, or an ESL-operated CS Major Championship. The prize is paid directly to the players. There is also a spoils bonus — awarded to a team that denies another team their final Grand Slam win by defeating them in a grand final. The spoiling team receives $100,000.

The ESL Grand Slam VI Race

The race for ESL Grand Slam VI is heating up, with three teams currently in contention: Vitality, Team Spirit, and FURIA. The Brazilians recently joined the chase after their victory at IEM Chengdu 2025, where they swept Vitality 3–0 in a best-of-five grand final.

The path toward the sixth Grand Slam began with Intel Extreme Masters Dallas 2025, where Vitality secured the first win. Team Spirit followed up with a triumph at IEM Cologne 2025, before Vitality claimed their second trophy at ESL Pro League Season 22. The most recent success came from FURIA, who won IEM Chengdu 2025 and earned their first Grand Slam point.

As it stands, Vitality leads the race with two victories, while Spirit and FURIA each have one. Several major events remain, where new contenders could still emerge:

These events will ultimately determine who claims the ESL Grand Slam VI crown.

IEM Grand Slam Previous Winners

Since 2018, the IEM Grand Slam has been one of the most prestigious accomplishments in Counter-Strike. The title is awarded to the team that wins four major ESL or Intel Extreme Masters tournaments within a single cycle. The $1,000,000 prize goes directly to the players, and only a few teams have ever achieved this feat.

The first champions were Astralis in 2018, winning at DreamHack Masters Marseille 2018, ESL Pro League Season 7 Finals, IEM Chicago 2018, and ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals, marking the start of their era of dominance. In 2019, Team Liquid claimed the Grand Slam in record time — just 63 days — with victories at IEM Sydney 2019, DreamHack Masters Dallas 2019, ESL Pro League Season 9 Finals, and ESL One Cologne 2019.

In 2021, Natus Vincere became the first CIS team to win the Grand Slam, following victories at IEM Katowice 2020, DreamHack Masters Spring 2021, IEM Cologne 2021, and ESL Pro League Season 14. Then, in 2023, FaZe Clan became the first international roster to achieve the title, winning IEM Katowice 2022, ESL Pro League Season 15, IEM Cologne 2022, and ESL Pro League Season 17.

Finally, in 2024, Team Vitality completed the fifth Grand Slam, becoming the first champions of the CS2 era. Their victories came at IEM Rio 2023, Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024, Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2025, and ESL Pro League Season 21. Each of these triumphs became a historic milestone, securing the teams’ places among the greatest in Counter-Strike history.

FURIA Joins the Race

After winning IEM Chengdu 2025, FURIA officially joined the race for the ESL Grand Slam VI and the $1,000,000 prize. Since internationalizing their roster, the additions of molodoy and YEKINDAR have proven to be valuable upgrades for the Brazilian squad. Under FalleN’s leadership, the team has already captured three Tier-1 titles: FISSURE Playground #2, Thunderpick World Championship 2025, and IEM Chengdu 2025. Although the first two events are not part of the ESL Grand Slam circuit, these victories show that FURIA is in much better form compared to the start of the year.

Looking ahead, the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 will be a key opportunity for FURIA to cement themselves as one of the tournament favorites. For them, the Grand Slam journey is just beginning — and with several major events on the horizon, they’ll have plenty of chances to make history once again and bring unforgettable moments to Brazilian fans and beyond.