ESL Confirms Grand Slam Extended Until 2026
ESL has officially confirmed that the Grand Slam tournament series will continue through 2025 and 2026. This announcement has put an end to rumors about the potential closure of one of the most prestigious competitions in the Counter-Strike world. However, changes in the sponsorship of the Grand Slam remain a focal point.
Rumors about Intel's Issues
Talks about the possible withdrawal of Intel from the Grand Slam sponsors began earlier this year. This was most likely related to the company's financial difficulties: its shares lost more than 40% of their value over the year, raising doubts about continued involvement in major esports projects.
Tournament Renaming
Shortly after the conclusion of ESL Pro League Season 21 in March 2025, viewers noticed that Intel had disappeared from the award's name. The series, formerly known as the Intel Grand Slam, is now called the ESL Grand Slam. This change happened unexpectedly, and ESL quickly began removing any mentions of the old name from the website and social media.
This raised even more questions, especially considering that just a month prior, Intel and ESL announced the extension of their sponsorship agreement. The last major tournament where the Intel Grand Slam brand was used was IEM Katowice 2025.
New Information from ESL
On March 21, ESL finally responded to inquiries from journalists at Dust2.us, confirming that the Grand Slam will continue not only in the current fifth season but also in 2025 and 2026. The official statement also emphasized that Intel remains a strategic partner and continues to support the Intel Extreme Masters tournament series.
Despite this, it remains unclear why Intel was removed from the Grand Slam name and what the future holds for the tournament series after the fifth season. It is possible that Intel's departure is related to changes in the company's strategic priorities and economic situation, as well as increased competition among tournament operators in CS2 .
The Grand Slam is an important part of esports history. The change in name and sponsorship structure may signal a transformation that will affect not only ESL tournaments but the entire Counter-Strike community. However, the confirmation of the Grand Slam's continuation until 2026 gives hope that the tournament will retain its prestige and significance.
