In just one week, the ESL ESEA CS:GO Pro League Season 1 will kick off its finals at the ESL studios in Cologne, Germany. After having taken a look at the eight teams who’ll be fighting over the title yesterday, we are now happy to announce both the groups as well as the opening matches. With the best teams from both Europe and North America in attendance, we can expect an interesting and intense group stage to open up the very first ESL ESEA CS:GO Pro League season finals!
The groups of the ESL ESEA CS:GO Pro League finals will be as follows:
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| Cloud9 G2A | Fnatic |
| Virtus.pro | Keyd Stars |
| Luminosity Gaming | TSM Kinguin |
| Team EnVyUs | Counter Logic Gaming |
- Virtus.pro vs. Luminosity Gaming
- Cloud9 vs. Team EnVyUs
- Fnatic vs. Counter Logic Gaming
- Keyd Stars vs. Team SoloMid
These openers will be followed by the winners and elimination matches, meaning that only three of the four teams per group will remain in the tournament after the first day. With these eight talented teams having everything to play for, who will fall first?
Group A: Can Luminosity surprise the big teams?
With the top-tier clash of Cloud9 versus EnVyUs, group A is already making us long for the finals to kick off. America’s best bet for an international success will face the winners of the CS:GO Major at DreamHack Winter 2014 and get the fans from both sides of the Atlantic ocean hyped.
Will NBK again have a reason to smile in Cologne?
However, Luminosity Gaming could bring some surprise moments to the event. While most eyes were on C9 and Keyd during the divisional play, their third place right behind those two big teams means leaving CLG, Liquid, Nihilum and more behind. We’ll get to see what they’re capable of doing when they face off against Virtus.pro.
Group B: Fnatic to underline their strength once more?
Opening the tournament against Counter Logic Gaming as fourth in the NA division is a somewhat rewarding task for double CS:GO Major winners Fnatic. With just a slight round advantage, CLG took the fourth spot over Team Liquid and now get to face the most successful team of the recent CS:GO era.
Can Keyd Stars surprise once again?
Keyd Stars, the Brazilian surprise at ESL One Katowice, are returning for another chance to show their skills against the best teams in the world after placing second in the NA division. Starting against Team SoloMid sounds like a tough nut to crack to get into the tournament but it could be exactly what they’re looking for. The Danes have had quite a successful last few months, and so this could become one of - if not the - most thrilling matches of the day.
Enjoy the Season 1 finals to the fullest!
While watching the event at your computer or on your couch can be entertaining enough, you get to experience the games on a totally different level sitting only meters away from some of the world’s biggest CS:GO stars. Get your tickets for the ESL ESEA CS:GO Pro League finals now, meet all eight teams and see how the very first Pro League finals unfold live.
Additionally, make sure to follow ESL Counter-Strike on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed about the Pro League, ESL One Cologne and more!
