Viewer Guide for ESL Pro League Season 22: Schedule, Format, Prize Pool, and Live

The ESL Pro League Season 22 runs from September 28 to October 12, 2025, in Stockholm. The competition brings 24 global teams through three stages with a $1M prize pool. Stage 1 begins with a 16-team Swiss system, then continues to Stage 2 before the Playoffs. This season also plays a key role in the ongoing ESL Grand Slam race.

Here’s everything you need to follow as a viewer.

ESL Pro League Season 22 Schedule

ESL Pro League Season 22 opens with Stage 1, where 16 teams clash in best-of-three Swiss matches for eight spots in Stage 2. The action features top contenders from around the world. Legacy, G2, and FURIA stand out as must-watch teams — Legacy for their flawless Austin Summer run, G2 for their recovered form, and FURIA for their potential to snowball into a title run.

More world-class teams will join the action in Stage 2, starting on October 4.

ESL Pro League Season 22 Format

ESL Pro League Season 22 takes place in Stockholm, Sweden, with a $1,000,000 prize pool. Victories here also count toward the ESL Grand Slam, where teams race to define an era in Counter-Strike.

• Location: Stockholm, Sweden (ESL Studios)
• Prize Pool: $1,000,000 + club rewards

ESL Pro League Season 22 format is a classic Swiss round where team where teams play multiple rounds against opponents with similar records instead of being eliminated after a single loss. Each team starts on equal footing, and after every round, winners face other winners while losers face other losers. This continues until teams reach a set number of wins to advance or a set number of losses to be eliminated.

The ESL Pro League Season 22 is also counted as one of the qualifying Masters events for the ESL Grand Slam. Stage 1 serves only as the entry point to Stage 2, meaning victories here secure advancement but no prize money — rewards begin from Stage 2 onward.

Contenders

ESL Pro League Season 22 contenders Stage 1 features a wide mix of teams from different qualification paths. You can read the EPL S22 teams in detail in our overview. Here’s a fast recap with names only.

VRS Global – these are directly invited teams representing the global elite. There are 7 of them in Stage 1:

• FURIA Esports
• G2 Esports
• GamerLegion
• HEROIC
• 3DMAX
• Virtus.pro
• Astralis

ECL S49 – EPL S22 Contenders promoted from the ESL Challenger League, Season 49. Five squads earned their slots this way:

• B8 (Europe)
• NRG (North America)
• Fluxo (South America)
• Lynn Vision (Asia)
• Rooster (Oceania)

Closed Qualifier – teams that battled through regional open and closed qualifiers. Four earned Stage 1 tickets:

• TNL (Europe)
• M80 (North America)
• Legacy (South America)
• HOTU (Asia)

This structure ensures global diversity. Elite invites, Challenger promotions, and hungry qualifier teams all mix for high-stakes Counter-Strike.

ESL Grand Slam

ESL Pro League Season 22 is an event from the Grand Slam race. Winner of EPL S22 reaches one from four points to get golden bars. The ESL Grand Slam awards $1,000,000 in gold equivalent to the first team winning three ESL Pro Tour Masters and one Championship within ten consecutive events. It demands consistency and dominance across the circuit.

Past Winners

• Season V – Team Vitality
• Season IV – FaZe Clan
• Season III – Natus Vincere
• Season II – Team Liquid
• Season I – Astralis

The current top contenders for the ESL Grand Slam are Team Spirit, who secured victory at IEM Cologne 2025 and now have nine chances remaining to complete the Slam, and Team Vitality, who triumphed at IEM Dallas 2025 and still hold eight opportunities to achieve the same goal.

Where to Watch ESL Pro League Season 22: Best Choices

The best way to follow every match is through the official ESL Counter-Strike channels on YouTube and Twitch. Broadcasts feature live commentary, analysis, and fan engagement segments. VODs and highlights are also posted promptly for those who miss the live action.

Good luck and have fun watching ESL Pro League Season 22!