ESL Pro League Season 25 to Be Held in Saudi Arabia

ESL has confirmed that ESL Pro League Season 25 will take place in Saudi Arabia, with tournament play scheduled from March 6 to 14, 2027. Teams are expected to arrive on March 4, with a media day on March 5 and departures on March 15. This will be the first time the league has moved outside its traditional host regions of Europe, the United States, and Brazil. Format and Team Slots The tournament keeps the same structure as Season 24. A total of 16 teams compete on LAN, with eight advancing to the playoffs. Playoffs will be played on stage in front of a live audience. Twelve of the 16 spots go to teams ranked 1st through 12th in the January 2027 Valve Regional Standings. The remaining four spots go to the regional winners of ESL Challenger League Season 52, covering Europe, North America, South America, and Asia-Oceania. https://twitter.com/ESLCS/status/2051330799916462183 Seeding for the tournament will follow the February 2027 VRS publication. Teams or players banned by ESL, FACEIT, or ESIC are not eligible for invitations. Prize Pool The total prize pool for Season 25 is $1,250,000. That is $250,000 more than the previous season. ESL says the increase applies only to the club share of the prize money, not the player-facing portion. Here is how the prize money breaks down: 1st place: $125,000 (player) + $240,000 (club) 2nd place: $50,000 + $160,000 3rd place: $30,000 + $130,000 4th place: $20,000 + $100,000 5th to 8th: $10,000 + $50,000 each 9th to 11th: $6,000 + $25,000 each 12th to 14th: $4,000 + $15,000 each 15th to 16th: $2,500 (no club reward) Season 25 is part of ESL's 2027 Pro Tour budget, which allocates over $11,450,000 for teams and players across the year. One notable rule change for 2027. The Annual Club Incentive will now include playoff viewership in its calculation. Previously, only certain viewership figures counted. In the future, the combined average concurrent viewership across the entire tournament determines how Club Incentive points are distributed.