IEM Katowice 2023 viewer's guide

IEM Katowice 2023 with a prize pool of $1 million will be held from February 1 to 12. The group stage kicks off on February 4, and will be preceded by the three-day Play-In qualifying stage.

The Play-In will see sixteen teams competing for eight spots in the group stage. The qualifier will be held in the Double Elimination format with best-of-one opening matches and best-of-threes for the rest of the meetings.

The Play-In stage participants:

 Permitta (OLIMP, sNx, Layner, iso, casey)
 FURIA (arT, yuurih, KSCERATO, drop, saffee)
 Complexity (JT, floppy, Grim, FaNg, hallzerk)
 BIG (tabseN, syrsoN, faveN, Krimbo, k1to)
 Evil Geniuses (Brehze, HexT, neaLaN, autimatic, wiz)
 fnatic (KRIMZ, mezii, nicoodoz, roeJ, FASHR)
 OG (nexa, NEOFRAG, flameZ, degster, F1KU)
 Sprout (Staehr, lauNX, Zyphon, refrezh, XELLOW)
 Team Spirit (chopper, magixx, Patsi, s1ren, w0nderful)
 Grayhound (Sico, INS, aliStair, Liazz, Vexite)
 MIBR (exit, Tuurtle, brnz4n, HEN1, insani)
 NIP (REZ, Brollan, Aleksib, headtr1ck, k0nfig)
 ENCE (Snappi, Maden, dycha, SunPayus, valde)
 paiN (PKL, biguzera, hardzao, zevy, skullz)
 Cloud9 (HObbit, Ax1Le, sh1ro, nafany, buster)
 IHC (bLitz, Techno4K, kabal, sk0R, Annihilation)

The seeding of teams in the Play-In bracket:

In the group stage, which will take place from February 4 to 7, sixteen participants will be divided into two groups, where they will play in the Double Elimination (GSL) best-of-three format. Three teams from each group will advance to the playoffs: the first one will go directly to the semifinals, the second one will advance to the high-seeded quarterfinals, while the squad to finish third will show up in the low-seeded quarterfinals.

The playoffs will take place on February 10-12 in the Single Elimination format. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in best-of-threes, with a best-of-five grand final.

The direct invitees to the group stage:

Group A

 Liquid (nitr0, NAF, EliGE, oSee, YEKINDAR)
 NAVI (s1mple, electroNic, Perfecto, b1t, npl)
 FaZe (karrigan, Twistzz, ropz, broky, rain)
 G2 (NiKo, huNter-, jks, HooXi, m0NESY)

Group B

 Outsiders (FL1T, Qikert, Jame, fame, KaiR0N)
 MOUZ (dexter, frozen, torzsi, JDC, xertioN)
 Vitality (apEX, dupreeh, Magisk, ZywOo, Spinx)
 Heroic (cadiaN, stavn, TeSeS, sjuush, jabbi)

Prize fund distribution:

1. $400,000
2. $180,000
3-4. $80,000
5-6. $40,000
7-8. $24,000
9-12. $16,000
13-16. $10,000
17-20. $4,500
21-24. $2,500

The full schedule, up-to-date results and live broadcast of IEM Katowice 2023 can be found on the tournament page on our website via this link.