CSGO: 7 Tournaments To Watch Before 2020
| Tags: CS2
| Author Alex Mcalpine
2019 is coming to a close but there is still plenty of CS:GO action to keep you occupied.
With the release of Operation Shattered Web earlier this week, CS:GO has seen a surge in its active player base. If you’re coming back to CSGO and want to see some of the professionals in action, then the end of the year will be great for you. Here’s all you need to know about the top tournaments that will round off the year in Counter-Strike.
Contents
CS:GO Asia Championships
Date: November 20th – November 24th 2019
Location: Shanghai, China
Where to watch: https://www.twitch.tv/pgl/
PGL returns to CS:GO this weekend with the CS:GO Asia Championships in Shanghai. Eight of CS:GO’s top teams are battling it out for the lion’s share of $500,000 – and the opportunity to earn some silverware late in the year. Notable teams attending the event include: Evil Geniuses, MIBR, Mousesports and ENCE. Meanwhile, on the Chinese side, Tyloo has already guaranteed themselves the opportunity to play in the arena tomorrow. If for no other reason, veteran fans should tune into the event to see a rare CS:GO appearance from broadcast legend Paul “RedEye” Chaloner.
ECS Season 8 Finals
Date: November 28th – December 1st 2019
Location: Arlington, United States
Where to watch: https://www.twitch.tv/faceittv
This year’s second season of ECS culminates in Arlington’s esports arena at the end of the month. The eight squads that qualified through the online league will also be looking for a big payday, with $500,000 available for everyone competing. Danish powerhouse Astralis will be attending this event alongside NA favorites Evil Geniuses, Team Liquid and MIBR. NiP have also qualified for the event, so spectators will get to see how this iteration of the Swedish roster fairs on the international stage.
DreamHack Open Winter
Date: November 29th – December 1st 2019
Location: Jönköping, Sweden
Where to watch: https://www.twitch.tv/dreamhackcs
DreamHack’s penultimate tournament of the year will be occurring at the end of this month. While of a lower caliber than the ECS finals, the tournament offers fans of tier 2 CS:GO the opportunity to see some of their favorite teams in action. European CS enthusiasts can also rejoice, as the event offers professional matches at EU friendly times. Most top teams won’t be present here but fans will get to see outings from 100Thieves, Furia and the newly sold Tricked roster.
ESL Pro League Season 10 Finals
Date: December 3rd – December 8th 2019
Location: Odense, Denmark
Where to watch: https://www.twitch.tv/esl_csgo
In what could be the most competitive event in this list, the ESL Pro League finals will pitch the top 16 sides against each other in a Best Of 3 intensive format. The event promises a whopping $750,000 prize pool alongside the attendance of every top 5 team in the world. Some notable names, chiefly Team Vitality, will not be in attendance but the field of competition remains stacked nonetheless. The winner of this event will guarantee themselves a spot at IEM Katowice 2020 as well as earning points in ESL’s new tournament circuit. Should the winner in Odense have already qualified for Katowice, the next best team from the Pro League will be selected.
BLAST Pro Series Global Final
Date: December 12th – December 14th 2019
Location: Riffa, Bahrain
Where to watch: https://www.twitch.tv/blastproseries
The BLAST Pro Series will see its circuit’s inaugural Grand Finals later next month. Just four teams will be competing for the $500,000 prize pool – and they’ll be doing so in a revised BO3 format. Astralis, Team Liquid, FaZe and NiP will be battling it out at the BLAST in Bahrain, but only one of them can take the Pro Series title. This event represents the BLAST’s attempt at building a cohesive tournament circuit, and we’ll undoubtedly hear more about what’s in store for the series in 2020 at this event.
CS_summit 5
Date: December 12th – December 15th 2019
Location: Los Angeles, United States
Where to watch: https://www.twitch.tv/btscsgo
Everyone’s favorite laid back LAN, cs_summit, will be returning in December. While the teams aren’t confirmed, fans can expect a large showing from the American organizations in Counter-Strike. The event will also be a great opportunity for viewers to access some of the best behind the scenes content in esports, while also hearing from their favorite pros live on the broadcast. If you’re someone who prefers a more relaxed feeling at tournaments, this is the event for you.
EPICENTER 2019
Date: December 17th – December 22nd 2019
Location: Moscow, Russia
Where to watch: https://www.twitch.tv/epicenter_en1
CS:GO returns to Russia for the final event on our list. The eight-team event also boasts a $500,000 prize-pool and is set to be a battle for European dominance. The final event of the year will be a good way to secure the team rankings for those outside of world title contention and the battle for top spot in Moscow is set to be intense, with Evil Geniuses, NaVi, Vitality and Fnatic all gunning for the title. So however things turn out between now and then, the end of the CS:GO calendar is filled with competition.
Alex graduated from UWO with a degree in journalism. He is a Battle Royale and FPS guru. He often reads 'Winner Winner Chicken Dinner' as he is ranked in the top 100 on the PUBG leaderboards. Alex is also an Overwatch and CoD expert. You can learn more about Alex via our About page.