CS:GO is set for another bumper-packed schedule in 2023 with a raft of tournaments taking place, and the roadshow will be worldwide, which will keep fans entertained. One of the first stopping points next year, well in terms of IEM (International Majors) is concerned, will be Poland, where teams will duke it out in Katowice. All CS: GO eyes will be on Katowice, and it will be fascinating to see how things pan out. But what do you need to know about this event? What is the prize money and who will be participating? All this and more will be discussed in this guide.
A Short History of Katowice
Katowice is accustomed to holding Major tournaments, and the 2023 edition will be the first S-tier CS:GO event next year. Since 2013, the tournament has taken place in the renowned Spodek Arena. Teams are invited to take their place at the tournament based on their official ESL Ranking, and points accrued in major events such as IEM Rio counts towards this. Generally, the CS:GO squads will have to perform consistently, particularly through the second half of 2022 to earn an invite.
IEM Katowice has made a name for itself as a premier CS:GO tournament. And the stakes couldn’t be much higher with a whopping $1,000,000 cash prize going to the winner, and this will also count towards the Intel Grand Slam.
Who is Involved?
So far, eight teams have cemented a berth in the IEM Katowice group stage, and among the participants include FaZe Cla, Outsiders, Heroic, and Team Liquid. The remaining 16 teams will have to battle it out in the play-in stage. Among those involved include Cloud9, Team Spirit, and Complexity. This will be eminently more taxing as they seek to go deeper into the tournament. Nevertheless, it will still make for irresistible viewing, both for the neutral and from a betting perspective. Indeed, for those looking for inspiration, you will be able to find a list of reputable operators at kasynainternetowe23.net who are big on CS:GO. Here, you will be able to find a plethora of outright and other pre-tournament lines to wager on.
When is it Taking Place?
IEM Katowice kicks off on January 31, 2023, and it runs through until February 12, 2023.
Women Back in The Game
For the first time since 2019, the CS:GO circuit will be extended next year, and Katowice will also have a women-only tournament, which will run from February 10 until February 12. In total, there are expected to be eight teams that will take part, with full rosters to be confirmed following the conclusion of qualifiers in Europe, North America, and South America.
This CS:GO event will be open to all fans, and no tickets are required to enter the arena. This event could go some way to matching the Intel Challenge Katowice, which was one of the best all-women tournaments back in the day. And while the prize pool hasn’t been formally confirmed, it is thought that the organizer put down $100,000 on the line for the ESL Impact Valencia this year, so maybe it could be similar.
