Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals Spectator Guide
/There are only a few hours left before the start of Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals, which means that the first big tournament of the new season will start very soon. Eight teams from Europe and North America will compete for a massive cash prize of $250,000, as well as compete for two tickets to Funspark ULTI 2022. Over the next week, some of the best teams in the world will give all CS:GO fans a real treat.
In this regard, we offer you to get acquainted with the format of the event, the distribution of the prize fund, the schedule and the participants of Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals.
Format of Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals
The championship format offers a classic Double-Elimination playoff bracket, in which eight teams will start their journey from the quarter-final stage. The winners of the starting matches will proceed to the semi-finals, while the losing teams will fall into the lower bracket, where they will get another chance to break into the grand final.
The Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals lower bracket will offer participants three knockout rounds, as well as a final, the winner of which will advance to the grand final of the championship.
All matches, with the exception of the Grand Final, will be played in BO3 format. In turn, the main meeting of the tournament will be held in the BO5 format (with a handicap for the team that made it through the upper bracket).
Prize pool distribution
- 1st place: $150,000 + slot at Funspark ULTI 2022.
- 2nd place: $50,000 + slot at Funspark ULTI 2022.
- 3rd place: $15,000
- 4th place: $15,000
- 5th-6th place: $5,000.
- 7th-8th place: $5,000.
Schedule Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals
Tuesday, January 18:
- Entropiq - ECSTATIC (BO3).
- Astralis - K23 (BO3).
Wednesday, January 19:
- fnatic - BIG (BO3).
- Gambit Esports - Extra Salt (BO3).
Thursday, January 20:
- First round of lower bracket A (BO3).
- First round of lower bracket B (BO3).
Friday, January 21:
- Upper bracket semi-final A (BO3).
- Upper bracket semi-final B (BO3).
Saturday, January 22:
- Second round of lower bracket A (BO3).
- Second round of lower bracket B (BO3).
Sunday, January 23:
- Third round of the lower bracket (BO3).
- Upper Bracket Final (BO3).
Monday, January 24:
- Lower Bracket Final (BO3).
- Grand Final (BO5).
Participants of Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals
We celebrate Astralis as the most stellar participant in the championship. At the end of last year, the team presented an updated roster, but failed to open up in the remaining tournaments. Now Astralis had enough time to train their connections and improve their communication. At the same time, on paper, the Danes look stronger than many other teams. In addition, Astralis will start their journey with a meeting against K23, which cannot but please the fans of the team.
In no case should we forget about Gambit. One of the best teams in 2021 intends to start the new season on a positive note, taking over another big tournament. At the same time, Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals will be held online, which will be another advantage for the team.
Interesting to watch BIG with faveN. A worthy strengthening of the German team on paper gives great hopes. However, already in the quarter-finals, BIG will face fnatic, a team that had a strong ending last season. It is the British-Swedish tandem that can become the "shadow favorite" of the tournament, as it has a potentially strong roster capable of showing stable results on the TIER-1 stage.
It is not entirely clear what Extra Salt is counting on. The North American team invited Grim and junior to the roster, adding in experience. However, everyone knows that soon the five will be in Complexity, so the team can both "shoot" and fail.
Three teams have approximately equal chances: K23, ECSTATIC and Entropiq. The first two teams turned out to be the best in last year's championship series, while Entropiq received a direct invite from the organizers. But, given the level of competition and the experience of rivals, these teams are unlikely to be able to surprise and jump above their heads.
Matches history: Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals
Funspark ULTI 2021 Finals will be held online from 18 to 24 January. Eight teams from Europe and North America will compete for a $250,000 prize pool, as well as two tickets to Funspark ULTI 2022.