ESL has announced the highly anticipated IEM Melbourne, marking the first time this prestigious event will be held in the country’s sporting capital. The tournament boasts a $300,000 prize pool and is slated to take place from April 21st to 27th, 2025, with the Group Stage kicking things off on the opening day.
Australian esports enthusiasts will fondly remember the electrifying atmosphere of IEM Sydney in October 2023, which was one of the first CS2 events to witness enthusiastic crowds packing the Super Aware Theatre.
Tournament Format
IEM Melbourne promises a week of nail-biting competition, divided into two distinct stages: the Group Stage and the Playoffs. The Group Stage, commencing on April 21st, will feature 16 invited teams battling it out in a double-elimination bracket. Only the top three teams from this group will advance to the prestigious Playoffs.
The Playoffs, held within the iconic Rod Laver Arena, will showcase a six-team single-elimination bracket. Matches in the quarterfinals and semifinals will be the best-of-three (BO3) series, while the grand finale will be an intense best-of-five (BO5) showdown, guaranteeing a thrilling conclusion to the tournament.
Unlike previous iterations, IEM Melbourne will forego qualifiers, opting for a direct invitation system based on the global Valve Ranking System (VRS) standings. The top 10 ranked teams will receive automatic invites, along with two additional teams from each of the major regions (Americas, Europe, and Asia) based on their VRS positions. ESL has confirmed that any declined invitations will be offered to the next-highest-ranked team, ensuring a strong pool of contenders. The official deadline for team invites is set for February 2025.
The wait for IEM Melbourne tickets won’t be long! Sales are scheduled to begin exclusively through Ticketek on January 23rd, 2025.
