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ESL, a brand of the ESL FACEIT Group, announced today that it would bring world-class esports back to Australia in later this year when Intel(r) Extreme Masters returns to Sydney for a fourth time.
IEM Sydney will take place in conjunction with SXSW Sydney on October 16-22. The final round of the competition will be held in the Aware Super Theatre, ICC Sydney, Sydney, Australia, on October 16-22.
The competition, which features 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike squads, begins with the Group Stage from 16-18 October. The competing teams will be divided into two groups of 8 during those days.
One of six spots available in the Playoffs, which will take place on October 20-22, and a portion of the total prize pool of $250,000 (USD) are at stake. The winning team can also qualify for the next ESL Pro Tour Championship in 2024 and add a win to the Intel(r), Grand Slam to help them get closer to the $1,000,000 cash prize.
Six Partner Teams, one Local Hero Invite and four teams qualified via the ESL World Ranking make up the 16 competing squads. The five remaining teams are selected via regional Open Qualifiers and Closed Qualifier:
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Europe
- Open Qualifier 1 – August 9-10. Two teams advance to the Closed Qualification
- Open Qualifier 2 – August 11-12. Two teams advance to the Closed Qualification
- Closed Qualification – August 23-25. Eight teams will compete, of which only two qualify for IEM Sydney in 2023.
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North America
- Open Qualifier 1 – 9-10 August – One team advances to the Closed Qualification
- Open Qualifier 2 – August 11-12. One team advances to the Closed Qualification
- Closed Qualifier: August 24-25, featuring four teams. One team will qualify for IEM Sydney in 2023.
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Asia
- Open Qualifier 1 – 9-10 August – One team advances to the Closed Qualification
- Open Qualifier 2 – August 11-12. One team advances to the Closed Qualification
- Closed Qualifier: August 24-25, featuring four teams. One team will qualify for IEM Sydney in 2023.
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Oceania
- Open Qualifier 1 – 9-10 August – One team advances to the Closed Qualification
- Open Qualifier 2 – August 11-12. One team advances to the Closed Qualification
- Closed Qualifier: August 22-23, featuring four teams. One team will qualify for IEM Sydney in 2023.
Since the last IEM Sydney event in 2019, we have heard from a growing chorus of Australian esports enthusiasts who expressed their desire to see this iconic event return,“, commented Graeme Du Toit. Head of Sales & Marketing Australia, ESL FaceIT Group. We jumped at the chance to host IEM Sydney in 2019. Our fans will be asked to show once again why they are the best esports audience in the world during October .”
“Australia holds a special place in the hearts of Counter-Strike fans.” Shaun Clark is Senior Director of Game Ecosystems – CS:GO for ESL FACEIT. He said that Melbourne was a great host city in the last few months. We can’t wait until we come back to Sydney to hold another IEM. The city has seen some of Counter-Strike’s greatest teams, such as SK Gaming and FaZe Clan become champions, in the past. Fans can now look forward to an unforgettable event as the best teams in the world will be returning to the city very soon.
Tickets for IEM Sydney 2020 will be available from 4:30 pm AEST on Friday, June 22, 2023. Tickets for 3-day General admission tickets start at A$159. Other ticket types include General Admission Plus, Premium (A$279), and God Mode (A$1,399).
SXSW badges holders who have a Sydney Platinum (1,495) or Games (1,095) badge will also be able to attend all three days of IEM Sydney. SXSW Sydney badge-holders will receive a daily allocation of seats at the Aware Super Theatre. Visit https://sxswsydney.com/ to learn more and purchase your badge.
IEM Sydney will be broadcast on ESL Counter-Strike’s Twitch, YouTube and dedicated broadcast partners. Follow ESL Counter-Strike’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to get more information about the competition. Visit eslfaceitgroup.com for more information and follow ESL FACEIT Group LinkedIn.
