ESL has published the ESL Pro League Season 24 seeding, and the list does not follow the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) exactly. The seeds were set through Team Selected Seeding, the same method ESL used for the previous three seasons. There is only one change. The latest VRS now breaks ties instead of a coin toss. Spirit holds the top seed, while Vitality and Aurora gain the most ground compared to the VRS.
ESL Pro League Season 24 Seeding: Full List
The table compares each team’s final seed with its position in the September 7 VRS, which ESL listed as its reference ranking. Valve’s September VRS release was pushed back by a day, which caused problems for organizers planning invites and seeding.
| Seed | Team | VRS Position | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team Spirit | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Team Vitality | 4 | +2 |
| 3 | Team Falcons | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | MOUZ | 2 | -2 |
| 5 | Legacy | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | FURIA | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | Aurora | 10 | +3 |
| 8 | G2 Esports | 7 | -1 |
| 9 | Natus Vincere | 9 | 0 |
| 10 | 9z | 8 | -2 |
| 11 | BetBoom | 11 | 0 |
| 12 | PARIVISION | 12 | 0 |
| 13 | M80 | 15 | +2 |
| 14 | TYLOO | 13 | -1 |
| 15 | 1win | 14 | -1 |
| 16 | ShindeN | 16 | 0 |
How Team Selected Seeding Works
The system is different from a straight ranking. Each of the 16 teams ranks its opponents in order, and ESL averages those rankings, with outliers removed, to set the seed. ESL posted every team’s submission in its official seeding announcement.
The VRS still matters here. It decided which twelve teams got direct invites, and it now settles any tie in the team votes. If you are new to Valve’s ranking, here is our explainer on how the Valve Regional Standings work.
Opening Round Matchups
The first round uses a standard bracket. The Major pairs seed 1 with seed 9, but EPL pairs the top seed with the bottom seed.
| Match | Higher Seed | Lower Seed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spirit (1) | ShindeN (16) |
| 2 | Vitality (2) | 1win (15) |
| 3 | Falcons (3) | TYLOO (14) |
| 4 | MOUZ (4) | M80 (13) |
| 5 | Legacy (5) | PARIVISION (12) |
| 6 | FURIA (6) | BetBoom (11) |
| 7 | Aurora (7) | 9z (10) |
| 8 | G2 (8) | Natus Vincere (9) |
The 8 vs 9 pairing puts G2 against Natus Vincere, the Season 23 champions, in round one.
Biggest Movers: Vitality, Aurora, MOUZ and 9z
Vitality and Aurora gained the most from the peer vote. Both teams reached the StarSeries Fall 2026 final in Barcelona last week, where Vitality beat Aurora 3-1 to win the title. Aurora had beaten Vitality 2-1 in the upper bracket final a day earlier, and that final was the first for Aurora’s roster with kyxsan, Jimpphat, and coach ash.
MOUZ and 9z are the only teams to drop two places. MOUZ go from second in the VRS to the No. 4 seed, and 9z fall from eighth to tenth. M80 are the only team outside the top ten to move up, rising two spots to 13th.
How Live Ratings Shape the Swiss Stage
The seeds only set the starting point. After seeding, each team gets an ELO-style rating based on its seed. ESL then updates the ratings after every match and uses them to pair teams in each Swiss round, with no rematches allowed.
This rating system replaces the Buchholz method. Playoff seeding comes from Stage 1 results, and live ratings break ties between teams with the same record. In practice, an upset win raises a lower seed’s rating straight away, which affects who they face next.
ESL Pro League Season 24 Format, Dates and Venue
Season 24 is the first EPL season played entirely on LAN, which is why the field was cut to 16 teams. The full breakdown is in the format details ESL published for Season 24.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Katowice, Poland |
| Group stage | October 3 to 7, 2026 (Swiss, all Bo3) |
| Playoffs | October 9 to 11, 2026 (8 teams, single elimination) |
| Playoff venue | Spodek Arena |
| Match format | Bo3 in playoffs, Bo5 Grand Final |
| Invites | 12 via VRS, 4 via ESL Challenger League Season 51 |
The Liquipedia event page lists the event as S-Tier and a Valve Wildcard tournament.
ESL Pro League Season 24 Prize Pool
Teams are playing for $1,000,000 in total winnings. That total combines prize money with club rewards.
| Place | Prize Money | Club Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | $125,000 | $170,000 |
| 2nd | $50,000 | $125,000 |
| 3rd | $30,000 | $90,000 |
| 4th | $20,000 | $65,000 |
| 5th to 8th | $10,000 | $40,000 |
| 9th to 11th | $6,000 | $20,000 |
| 12th to 14th | $4,000 | $10,000 |
| 15th to 16th | $2,500 | None |
The event also counts toward the ESL Grand Slam race, which carries its own $1,000,000 bonus.
