Key Takeaways:

• The ESL Pro League will expand from 24 to 34 teams
• An additional stage has been added: EPL Conference
• All EPT Challenger level competitions qualify into ESL Pro League
• EPL Season 15 will start on 23.11.2021, acting as a transitional season

Our Vision for ESL Pro League

Our vision is to streamline and simplify the path for teams to advance within the ESL Pro Tour. Moving forward, EPL will become the host of all EPT Challenger tournaments.

In order to facilitate this change, ESL Pro League will be extended by an additional week and a new stage created called the EPL Conference. The EPL Conference will act similar to that of the IEM Cologne & IEM Katowice play-in.

Sixteen teams earn their spots into ESL Pro League exclusively via our EPT Challenger Competitions.

• ESL National Championships
• ESL Challenger (formerly known as DH Open)
• ESL Challenger Leagues (formerly known as ESEA Premier).

Bigger & Better – Expanding to 34 Teams

ESL Pro League will increase to 34 teams from its current 24, starting from Season 15. An additional week of competition will be added and an increase in prize pool to $850,000, as well as more EPT points will be up for grabs.

One way to the Top – All EPT Challenger teams into EPL

Simplification is key. We’ve implemented these changes with the goal of simplifying the EPT structure to make it clearer and easier for players and teams to understand how to advance within the EPT system.

Simply put: Win an EPT Challenger competition and qualify for ESL Pro League.

The EPT Connection

ESL Pro League Season 15 – A Transitional Season

The next season will serve as a transitional season as we look to implement our long term vision. What this means is that the EPL S15 slot distribution will honour & respect teams who’ve won or are currently playing for advancement into an EPT Masters competition from 2021.

• DHO Winners who advanced and have yet to compete in an EPT Masters tournament
• ESEA Premier S38 teams currently competing for EPL Group Stage advancement
• ESL National Championship teams currently competing for advancement to the NC: Global Playoff which will be replaced by the EPL Conference moving forward.

EPL Season 15 – Conference Team Distribution

EPL Season 15 – Group Stages Team Distribution

The Season 16 slot distribution will be rearranged to match the vision described at the top of the article.

The Scheduling

Due to how the CS:GO calendar is currently planned in 2022, we will be unable to have the EPL Conference take place alongside the Group Stages & Playoffs. Therefore in the upcoming seasons, the EPL Conference will take place several weeks ahead during the already scheduled DreamHack festival dates.

The EPL Season 15 Conference will take place online. Starting in 2022 it will transition to become a LAN competition and take place at DreamHack festivals respectively.

Following the implementation of these structural changes to both EPL and the EPT system we’re excited to see which teams will be successful at the Season 15 EPL Conference! There’s plenty of elite tier Counter-Strike coming up within the ESL Pro Tour, most notably Intel® Extreme Masters: Fall 2021 standing out as an RMR event will begin soon!

The European mixed team beat a total of three teams on the Intel Grand Slam scoreboard with a 2-0 against Evil Geniuses in the first round of playoffs and a 2-1 against Astralis in the semi final.

Ever since Team Liquid won the second Intel Grand Slam no team has managed to win two Masters level tournaments. Liquid won Intel Extreme Masters Chicago, EG won ESL One New York, FNATIC won DreamHack Masters Malmoe and Astralis won IEM Beijing. All of the above teams are still in contention for the $1,000,000 prize.

A team needs to win four Masters level tournaments if one of them was a Championship ESL Pro Tour event. Otherwise a team needs to win six Masters tournaments to complete the Intel Grand Slam.

Team Liquid have the most narrow window to complete their Intel Grand Slam as they have five tournaments left. If they win IEM Katowice (a Masters Championship) in March 2020, they will need a further two Masters titles to do it.

On top of the impressive performances, the ESL Pro League also expanded its range by bolstering its lineup with the best teams from South America and the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are very happy to have brought another Pro League Season Final to Dallas, which is well known as the home of competitive Counter-Strike,” said Ulrich Schulze, Senior Vice President of Product at ESL. “The geographical expansion did not only gave new teams a chance to participate in the competition but also fostered the growth of our our viewership in the Asia-Pacific region. We are looking forward to what the next Pro League season brings.”

Asia’s increased interest in CS:GO Pro League is reflected in its viewership numbers. Overall, Season 7 recorded a growth of 10,2% in concurrent online viewers compared to previous season, peaking at 691,000, thanks in large part due to growth in China and South East Asia. The move to Facebook saw a significant increase in unique viewer count. Given the nature of the platform, a lot of new fans checked out the live streams when browsing through their timeline. Overall we saw some movement in viewership from the English and Portuguese language streams to the wide variety of local language streams for Pro League.

This resulted in 42,4% more views than Season 6 and over 118 million video views in total. Overall video consumption came in at 18 million hours of content, coming from 44 live streams in 22 languages across seven digital platforms including Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, Mixer, Znipe, Caffeine and Huomao.

And even more CS:GO looms on the horizon. The CS:GO Pro League will return on October 2, 2018 for Season 8 as the best teams will compete for a period of five weeks for their share of another US $1 million prize pool. All matches will be streamed exclusively via Facebook in English and Portuguese every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. To stay up to date on all information about the upcoming season, visit the official CS:GO Pro League website and follow ESL CS on Twitter and Facebook.

Groups

Group A

Click to enlarge

Group B

Click to enlarge

Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Team Liquid vs. mousesports 2-0

FaZe Clan vs. SK Gaming 2-0

Semifinals

Natus Vincere vs. Team Liquid 0-2

Astralis vs. Faze Clan 2-0

Grand final

Team Liquid vs. Astralis 3-1

Tournament highlights

Oh you’re so sneaky @TACOCS pic.twitter.com/P28nc2QOjC

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 15, 2018

OH MY @JUGiOfficial WHAT WAS THAT?!
That AWP has taken off #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/taVJx8CfFA

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 16, 2018

BEAUTIFUL FROM @TACOCS #ESLProLeague https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/Hw0jsTlKfh

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 16, 2018

Skadaddy is here to play@C9Skadoodle @Cloud9#ESLProLeague https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/z5z1DHtFTS

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 16, 2018

YOU WERE SO CLOSE BUT YOU STILL DID IT KINDA @electronicCSGO#ESLProLeague
– https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/TARAhJQK8A

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 17, 2018

STEWIIEEEE @Stewie @SKGaming#ESLProLeague
– https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/bkhgX0e7bc

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 17, 2018

OH MY GOD @karriganCSGO WHAT WAS THAT?#ESLProLeague https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/ozVcBtH70E

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 18, 2018

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? @fazeniko GOT ALL FIVE THAT ROUND#ESLProLeague https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/MEikA4htn4

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 18, 2018

Is your wrist feeling okay after that one? @s1mpleO#ESLProLeague https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/GBENvpJZPa

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 19, 2018

#ESLProLeague https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/w0QmFgbDek

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 20, 2018

In case you missed it, @TeamLiquid pulled out the win with a little help from @NAFFLY in this glorious chaotic mess of a round#ESLProLeague https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/rDwHpRImdL

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 20, 2018

This man can do it with any gun @Xyp9x#ESLProLeague https://t.co/ZvDWXMCAnq pic.twitter.com/OftnNnV3N3

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) May 20, 2018

Thank you

Thank you to all of the teams, players, broadcast crew, event crew, and fans for another amazing season of ESL Pro League! We will be back in a couple of months with season 8.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our upcoming CS:GO events: ESL One Belo Horizonte powered by Intel, ESL One Cologne powered by Intel, and ESL One New York powered by Intel – be sure to join us if you can!

Until then, follow ESL CS on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest updates.

On top of the impressive performances, the ESL Pro League also expanded its range by bolstering its lineup with the best teams from the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are very happy to have brought another Pro League Season Final to Dallas, which is well known as the home of competitive Counter-Strike,” said Ulrich Schulze, Senior Vice President of Product at ESL. “The geographical expansion did not only gave new teams a chance to participate in the competition but also fostered the growth of our our viewership in the Asia-Pacific region. We are looking forward to what the next Pro League season brings.”

Season 7’s appeal is reflected in its increased viewership numbers, recording a growth of 10,2% in concurrent online viewers from the previous season, peaking at 691,000, thanks in large part due to growth in China and South East Asia. The move to Facebook saw a significant increase in unique viewer count, with 42,4% more views than Season 6 and over 118 million video views in total. Overall video consumption came in at 18 million hours of content, coming from 44 live streams in 22 languages across seven digital platforms including Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, Mixer, Znipe, Caffeine and Huomao.

[insert infographic]

And even more CS:GO looms on the horizon. The CS:GO Pro League will return on October 2, 2018 for Season 8 as the best teams will compete for a period of five weeks for their share of another US $1 million prize pool. All matches will be streamed exclusively via Facebook in English and Portuguese every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. To stay up to date on all information about the upcoming season, visit the official CS:GO Pro League website and follow ESL CS on Twitter and Facebook.

It all started a mere two years ago at the ESL Expo Barcelona, where a still completely unknown mixwell, then playing for gBots eSports Club, drew attention two himself with two solid series against Team Dignitas (MSL, k0nfig, Kjaerbye, RUBINO, TENZKI) and Fnatic (flusha, KRiMZ, olofmeister, dennis, JW).

The next thing you know, mixwell signs with OpTic Gaming. As we know by now, H3CZ is never one to shy away from taking risks. Still, the hiring of an internationally entirely untested youngster can only be described as a huge leap of faith that could’ve gone either way.

It didn’t, said leap turned out to be a stroke of genius, as mixwell wasted no time proving he belonged among the world’s elite. It’s not often we get to see a player adapting to top-tier CS that quickly – Stewie2k and ropz come to mind – but it is the exception in a brutal environment in which only the fiercest predators survive.

While individually mixwell proved his worth right away, it wasn’t until tarik replaced daps when OpTic as a team reached their full potential.

Right away, OpTic was in contention for #1 in NA, while regularly challenging the top European sides. Upon joining OpTic, mixwell also transitioned from rifler/secondary AWP player into full-time AWPer – a transition that went smooth as silk and turned the Spaniard into arguably NA’s best sniper at the time.

That’s when, in December of 2016 in the span of just two weeks, OpTic jumped into the top three on HTLV’s team ranking, and mixwell celebrated his biggest achievements to date.

First, a win at ELEAGUE Season 2 and a $400,000 pay-day, followed by a second place finish at the ECS Season 2 Finals. OpTic eliminated several top European sides in both of these tournaments, and met Astralis in both finals.

Everything seemed set for OpTic to become a true challenger amongst the world’s tier-one teams, but the good times rarely last in good ol’ NA, and this time was no different.

stanislaw’s announcement to team up with Team Liquid set OpTic’s downfall in motion. stan was so integral to the team’s identity, it was damaged beyond repair after his departure.

On a personal level, 2017 is a year mixwell would rather forget, as he continuously moved from bad to worse. In an interview with HLTV.org, he admitted to going through extremely difficult times. He lived in the team house outside Chicago, in the middle of nowhere, all by himself for months on end. On a weekly basis, he received offers from top European and North American orgs, but he stayed loyal to the team that enabled him to begin his international Counter-Strike career – truly a testament to his character.

Retrospectively however, he declares his loyalty a mistake. Especially after the PGL Major in Krakow. The team was already dead in the water, but mixwell decided to give his OpTic adventure another shot. Upon returning to the States he learned that tarik and RUSH, and this came as a surprise to everyone, had signed for Cloud9.

With little time before the season returned, OpTic did what they could to field a new team. friberg, Magisk, allu and HS joined mixwell. And, especially in ESL’s Pro League, the team did quite well in the beginning. But mixwell sensed early on that the lack of a real IGL leads to no clear team-identity and ultimately to immense problems when facing the top teams.

A sustainable team cohesion never developed, and when mixwell and his boys failed to qualify for ELEAGUE’s Major, it marked the end of his journey in North America, which sets us up for…

A new chapter in G2

mixwell has used the time as a free agent to recharge his batteries and feels stronger and more motivated than ever, which makes him the perfect fit for G2. The French have struggled tremendously over the past six months, not winning a single playoff series in that time span – which is simply unacceptable for G2’s star-studded lineup.

The team always missed a clear style under shox’s leadership. Their coordination seemed nonexistent at times, and frequently they force-bought their way to defeat. shox’s individual form has been on the rise after an abysmal 2017, but that didn’t translate into team success. The team reached a point where change was inevitable.

Yes, NBK also isn’t an IGL. But his and shox’s Counter-Strike philosophies are fundamentally different. We may get a more structured G2 out of this, which would also provide mixwell with the conditions under which he thrived in stanislaw’s OpTic.

mixwell certainly has big shoes to fill. shox is undoubtedly an all-time great, and mixwell’s peak is probably nowhere near shox’s. But team chemistry is chief. G2 wasn’t working, and mixwell has proven to not only be a world-class player but an even better teammate.

It’s tough to predict if mixwell is the answer to G2’s problems. But when you throw four Baguettes and one Tapa into the blender, maybe add some of that pimiento, you’re certainly getting a spicy, potentially world-class mix.

Vamos les Baguettes!

Tune into the stream here to watch mixwell and his new comrades battle for a spot in the offline finals in Dallas. If you want to watch the season finals, you can purchase tickets here.

For all the latest updates on the ESL Pro League, be sure to follow ESL Counter-Strike on Twitter and Facebook.

Some of the favorites are struggling tremendously in both regions. Most notably, FaZe has dropped out of the playoff ranks, and Fantic continue to struggle. At this point it’s likely we won’t see the Swedes in Dallas.

Cloud9 on the other hand leapfrogged forward in the standings and find themselves sitting on third place. SK did what they could to stay relevant in the playoff race, but it’s going to be difficult.

Let’s see who else saw action across both regions in more detail.

Europe

What a pleasant surprise having the Space Soldiers (13W-4Ö-1OTL), who qualified for Pro League through MDL, on top of the European division. The Turks continue to show impressive CS online as well as offline, and deservedly lead the league. They won three out of their four maps past week against Fnatic and North, and are a almost certain lock for the playoffs.

Following suit are the Ninjas in Pyjamas (12W-1OTW-4L-1OTL) on second place, after winning all four maps against FaZe and Na’Vi. dennis continues to impress as fragger and IGL. The Ninjas are almost certainly going to Dallas and I’m looking forward to seeing them confirm their form on LAN.

Na’Vi (11W-1OTW-6L) lost three out of four, dropping down to rank five. Even though Zeus suggested the attack on S1mple and flamie will make the team stronger, another possibility is that after hearing that S1mple in fact wanted to leave, it could have a negative effect on team morale.

FaZe (8W-8L-2OTL) have had an underwhelming start with Xizt. After splitting maps with North and losing to NiP, they are at risk of jeopardizing their strong start into the season with a tough schedule ahead, including matches against Fnatic, Space Soldiers and Hellraisers.

G2 (9W-1OTW-11L-1OTL) on the the other hand have fought their way back into the top 7. After losing both maps versus North, they picked up four in a row against LDLC and Team EnVy.

Check out the full standings of Pro League Europe below:

Match Of The Week Recap – Astralis vs. Fnatic

In the northern battle, the Danes came out on top of the Swedes. Ever since their victory at WESG China, Fnatic are in a severe slump and their Pro League season seems beyond salvageable, whereas Astralis look to be challenging for world number one status again after adding Magisk.

The two teams had their first rendezvous on de_inferno, a map I expected to go Fnatic’s way. JW’s boys started out on the terrorist side, and right from the start ran against the Danish wall. Device & Co. picked up the pistol and stormed off to a 6-0 lead. Fnatic managed to get back into it, picking up four rounds of their own, but towards the end of the half Astralis reclaimed dominance for a 10-5 lead. device, who dropped 26 frags, took over in the second half and helped Astralis to get the 16-9 victory.

Up next, de_overpass, which we might as well just call de_astralis after years of Danish dominance on it. gla1ve started out leading his boys on the more difficult terrorist side, but made it look easy. Astralis got the pistol and from there on out executed a fast paced, controlled style, not once allowing Fnatic to get back into it with 11 T-side rounds won. After the switch, Fnatic weren’t ready to bow out right away. Golden put up a good fight, but after some adjustments by the Danes the inevitable loss came at 16-9.

North America

Team Liquid (15W-1OTW-1L-1OTL) is demonstrating impressively how front running is done. With 48 points and rank one, their finals are guaranteed. Another five out of six maps against Splyce, Ghost and NRG won, clearly indicates that Liquid is number one in NA right now.

NA’s surprise team NRG (10W-2OTW-2L) only played against Liquid past week, splitting the series 1-1. They still square off against Renegades, compLexity, OpTic and Luminosity. They will be favored in each of those series, and we will most certainly see daps and his boys in Dallas.

Cloud9 (9W-5L-2OTL) finally seized control of their season, coming out victorious on all four maps against Luminosity and Dignitas. After losing Stewie and adding FNS in his stead, C9 look to compete in Texas after already failing to qualify for LAN in Season 6.

SK Gaming (7W-9L) had a patchy start with Stewie, but at least their hopes of making it to Dallas are still alive. They won four out of six maps past week against Splyce, OpTic and Ghost Gaming which puts them on rank eight. In the remaining matches against Dignitas, compLexity and Renegades, they cannot afford a single map loss.

Team Dignitas are still without a single map win. They have only played ten maps so far, which gives them twelve more to get that W!

See the full standings for Pro League NA below:

Match Of The Week Recap – Team Liquid vs. NRG Esports

NA’s two hottest teams clashed past week, and at least on the first map, de_train, the match delivered.

NRG started on the T-side and after winning the pistol round, got to a quick 4-0. Liquid then answered with four rounds of their, tying the score at 4-4 and taking control over the game, only allowing NRG two more rounds for the remainder of the half. In the second half, it seemed like a quick affair. Liquid won the pistol and six out of the first seven rounds for a lead of 15-7. Then NRG came back into it, stringing together eight rounds in a row to force OT, where they managed to get the W in double overtime.

On de_mirage it was always going to be difficult for NRG, as it is one of Liquid’s strongest maps. But nobody could have seen the degree of Liquid’s dominance coming. Starting on the T-side, nitr0 led his boys to a 14-1 halftime score. Closing it out on the CT side was a mere formality, and the match ended with 16-7 in favor of Liquid. nitr0 and Twistzz put on a clinic, both with a 1.55 HLTV rating.

https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/981748849067700225

Highlights Of The Week

https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/982106252300795905

https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/982047449211551744

https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/982061798076563456

https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/982060070165884928

https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/982045947587784704

https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/981947859778994176

https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/981665180642758656

Don’t miss out on Week 6!

As always we will be returning with more EPL action from both regions on Tuesday.

Tune in here, to watch your favorite teams battle for a spot at the LAN Finals in Dallas. If you want to watch the season Finals live, purchase your tickets here.

For all the latest updates on the ESL Pro League, be sure to follow Counter-Strike on Twitter and Facebook.

Two days of thrilling group matches determined the six teams who made it to the playoffs and got to play on the big stage in the sold out area filled with roaring fans. In the end, it all came down to the current very best teams in the world, SK Gaming and FaZe Clan with SK Gaming taking the trophy and everything that came with it.

Playoffs

Quarterfinals

OpTiC Gaming vs. FNATIC 1-2

• 16-14 on inferno
• 10-16 on train
• 14-16 on mirage

MORE @fribergCS CLUTCHES! This time it’s for the map!#ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/6txdHYFpHQ

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 8, 2017

“LET’S FUCKING GOOO!” @OpTicGaming #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/Tje0IN9q8G

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 8, 2017

That-Just-Happened#ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/R7j3Y1hw2P

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 8, 2017

HellRaisers vs. Misfits 0-2

• 18-22 on cobblestone
• 6-16 on overpass

Quick flick by @ShahZaMk!~#ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/ElHOfB2LxY

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 8, 2017

.@MSF_devoduvek with the HUGE 4K in overtime!#ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/YWXB4D9vUS

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 8, 2017

Semifinals

FaZe Clan vs. FNATIC 2-0

• 16-7 on mirage
• 16-10 on overpass

Why missing your smoke is TERRIFYING!#ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/UcXVQWMNdw

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 9, 2017

THESE TAPS!@fazeniko delivers! #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/aokOk1pKxE

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 9, 2017

.@FNATIC and HOT defuses on Overpass! #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/hUEEpzjCql

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 9, 2017

SK Gaming vs. Misfits 2-0

• 16-6 on cobblestone
• 16-1 on overpass

4K by @TACOCS and top fragging for @SKGaming at the moment. Things are not looking good for @MisfitsGG! #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/V8T3QJgw3T

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 9, 2017

QUE OTA???? @TACOCS #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/2S6ij4y5iG

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 9, 2017

.@FalleNCS IS SIMPLY UNSTOPPABLE!#ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/tF7WPOEadD

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 9, 2017

Grand final

FaZe Clan vs. SK Gaming 1-3

• 16-13 on inferno
• 11-16 on overpass
• 9-16 on mirage
• 16-19 on train

OLOOOOOOF @olofmeister #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/3bwzbB15Ft

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 10, 2017

???#ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/NhfTzgTmkI

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 10, 2017

IT’S AN ACEEEEE FOR @FaZe_rainCS!!! #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/ExqYCtydL2

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 10, 2017

WTFFFFFFFFFF!?! @guardiancsgo HAS BALLS OF STEEL#ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/a6OKFZ6Oh3

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 10, 2017

HE’S GOT BOLTZ OF STEEL!@IMTBoltz #ESLProLeague pic.twitter.com/cbG9gAFnjC

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 10, 2017

Thank you and see you next season!

Thank you to all of the teams, players, talent, fans, and everyone who helped making this unforgettable event happen! ESL Pro League will be back with season 7 on February 13th 2018 for a total of 10 weeks of online play – be sure to join us!

Until then, remember to follow ESL CS on Twitter and Facebook for all of the CS:GO action taking place at ESL.

Ascend the Burj Khalifa

Source: http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/

As the world’s tallest building, you shouldn’t pass up the chance to visit the Burj Khalifa if you’re in Dubai. 160 stories and 860 meters high, you can purchase tickets to At The Top, the Burj Khalifa’s exclusive outdoor observatory and SKY lounge, which you to ascend to in a dedicated elevator while specially designed projections give you the feeling of flying over some of the world’s most famous landmarks.

Browse the Dubai Mall

Source: http://www.thedubaimall.com/

The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping mall based on total area, and has over 1,200 shops as well as an ice rink and an aquarium and underwater zoo. With shops, boutiques and restaurants of all kinds, the mall is also home to the famous Dubai Fountains – made by the team behind the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas – as well as SEGA Republic, a 76,000 square foot indoor theme park that includes 14 thrilling attractions and more than 170 games.

Go on a safari

Source: http://www.visitdubai.com/

The most popular way to see Dubai’s desert is on a four-wheel-drive safari, these tourist-focused excursions including camel rides, traditional dancing and henna tattoos as well as sandboarding for those who want an extra dose of adrenaline before a barbecue dinner. For a more peaceful safari experience, there are hot air balloon trips as well as the opportunity to visit one of Dubai’s nature reserves, such as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.

Visit a water park

Source: https://www.atlantisthepalm.com/

Dubai has multiple water parks, a couple of the most popular of these being the Aquaventure and the Wild Wadi Water Parks. With rides and attractions for all ages as well as the opportunity to swim with dolphins and even go on a shark safari, a visit to one of Dubai’s water parks is a great way to cool off in the heat.

Soak up some culture

Source: http://www.dubaiculture.gov.ae/

Despite its ultra-modern look, Dubai has a rich cultural history that dates back hundreds of years. The Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort was erected in around 1787, having become a museum in 1971, and is the perfect place to learn more about the city’s past. You can also visit some of Dubai’s more traditional areas such as the Bastakia Quarter in Bur Dubai, which was originally built in the late 19th century by Persian merchants.

Take a tour

Source: Richard Schneider at Wikipedia

With so many sights to see in Dubai, if you really want to try and take in a bit of everything then a tour is well worth it. Whether by land, sea or motorcycle, the city boasts some of the world’s most incredible architecture as well as such unique structures as the Palm Jumeirah and The World Islands.

Hit the beach

Source: http://www.visitdubai.com/

With all its sun, a trip to the beach during a stay in Dubai is a must. If you’re staying in one of the hotels on the strip, Jumeirah beach should be first port of call. If not, there’s the Al Mamzar public beach as well the Jumeirah Beach Park with its small entry fee and Umm Suqeim, also known as Kite Beach due to its popularity with kite surfers.

To find out more about the ESL ESEA Pro League Dubai Invitational check out the official website, and be sure to grab your ticket here if you’re planning on coming to watch the event in person.

The groups for the final events have been drawn and are as follows:

Group A: Three Legends and only two available spots

With two ESL One Katowice quarterfinalists and one semifinalist, this group is more than just strong, and it’ll be tough for every one of these teams to take one of the two slots for the single elimination playoffs. Team SoloMid and Virtus.pro will be kicking off the action, while Natus Vincere are set to take on Team Dignitas, the only team in this group not present at Katowice.

Following the results in Katowice, things have changed a little – TSM were able to take down Fnatic twice in two best of three matches. With these recent successes, they could become more than just a dangerous team and get their chance to surprise during the finals.

Group B: Can Titan rediscover their strength?

Even though EnVyUs didn’t manage to defend their DreamHack title, their performance in Katowice was solid. Their group has three teams who want to make up for their early departure from ESL One Katowice or missing out on the event completely, and the EnVyUs versus CPH Wolves and Titan versus 3DMAX matches will have a lot to offer.

Even though EnVyUs are the somewhat clear favorite here, Titan is a team you always have to keep your eye on. As their downfall at Katowice started with a loss to EnVyUs, we might see Titan bring a whole new spirit to the finals and give EnVyUs another good challenge for one of Group B’s two spots.

Join the ESL CS:GO Pro League Winter finals!

You can join us on the spot at the ESL studios in Cologne, Germany, and enjoy three packed days of CS:GO as well as free drinks and snacks for only €20. However, if you can’t make it to Cologne in person, the Twitch.tv stream will bring all the action right to your monitor!

Check the ESL CS:GO Pro League website for further info. Follow ESL Counter-Strike on Twitter and Facebook to receive constant updates on our CS:GO tournaments, leagues and activities!

Who’s your favorite to take the very first ESL CS:GO Pro League title? Tell us in the comments below!