ESL Pro League Season 23 Playoffs to Take Place in Arena

ESL Pro League Season 23 will take place in 2026, and for the first time in a long time, the tournament's final stage will once again be held in an arena. ESL Pro League will be played in an arena for the first time since Season 10, with previous tournaments being held online or in studios.

Tournament Format and Schedule
The group stage will consist of two phases using the Swiss system, where 16 teams will compete in BO3 matches. Then the top 8 teams will advance to the playoffs, which will be held in a single-elimination format.

The playoffs will be held in front of a live audience in Europe for the first time in several seasons. The final day of the tournament will include a third-place match in BO3 format and a grand final in BO5 format.

Venue
The group stage will be held online on European servers, but ESL will provide financial support for bootcamps. Teams will be able to prepare in comfortable conditions and participate in other tournaments during the season.

Winners of the ESL Challenger League from five regions will receive slots in the group stage. Also, for the first time in North America and Europe , open lan qualifiers in BYOC format (bring your own computer) will be held, with the winners advancing to ESL Pro League.

Prize Pool and Invitations
The tournament champion will receive $100,000, as well as $150,000 in the form of a club bonus. The total prize pool for the tournament is $1,000,000. This tournament also counts towards the Intel Grand Slam, bringing the winner closer to that title.

Invitations to the tournament will be issued in January 2026, where 17 teams will receive invitations based on the VRS ranking, 5 winners of regional ESL Challenger League, and 2 from open qualifiers in BYOC format. Exceptions may be applied to players under an EFG or ESIC ban.