ESL Challenger Rotterdam viewer's guide

Find out about the tournament's details with this comprehensive viewer's guide ahead of ESL Challenger Rotterdam.

ESL Challenger Rotterdam will begin on October 14 with eight teams competing in two GSL groups for a $100,000 prize pool. The event will be held at the Rotterdam Ahoy Stadium in the Netherlands, with a crowd in attendance.

From teams making their first international appearance to teams that have recently qualified for the IEM Rio Major, the ESL Challenger tournament has a variety of squads all looking to qualify for ESL Conference Season 17.

There are four top twenty teams attending the event, and for three of them, ENCE, MOUZ and Outsiders, it serves as an opportunity to test their mettle in preparation for the up-and-coming Major in Rio. For Eternal Fire and TeamOne, it is a chance to prove they can be strong contenders after not making it through their respective RMRs.

Eternal Fire have not posted good results consistently and parted ways with their in-game leader, Engin "⁠MAJ3R⁠" Küpeli, after failing to qualify for the IEM Rio Major. The Turkish team will vie to turn the disappointing finishes in their recent past with Yasin "⁠xfl0ud⁠" Koç back in the starting five.

Nixuh fly to the Netherlands with the lowest expectations as they are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament. The South African squad boasts two well-known names, Roberto "⁠blackpoisoN⁠" Dall'Occo and Aran "⁠Sonic⁠" Groesbeek, who will have the rare chance of representing their country at a tournament of this caliber with a full South African five.

One of the biggest teams in attendance is ENCE, who just qualified for the Major's Legends Stage, and although they are in the opposite group to the No. 15 team in the world, Movistar Riders, Álvaro "⁠SunPayus⁠" García could face off against his former squad if both teams reached the playoffs.

The two groups are:

The group stage will happen on October 14-15, while the playoffs will commence and finish on the third final day, October 16.

The tournament schedule is:

Friday, October 14

10:30 ENCE vs. TeamOne (BO1)
12:10 Outsiders vs. Fluxo (BO1)
13:50 MOUZ vs. Nixuh (BO1)
15:30 Movistar Riders vs. Eternal Fire (BO1)
17:10 Group A Winners' Match (BO1)
18:50 Group B Winners' Match (BO1)
20:30 Group B Elimination Match (BO3)

Saturday, October 15

09:00 Group A Elimination Match (BO3)
11:30 Group B Decider Match (BO3)
15:00 Group A Decider Match (BO3)

Sunday, October 16

09:00 Semi-final #1 (BO3)
11:30 Semi-final #2 (BO3)
15:00 Grand Final (BO3)

The talent for the event features James "⁠BARDOLPH⁠" Bardolph, who makes his return to an offline tournament for the first time since his last event, the PGL Stockholm Major. The event will be hosted by Mike "⁠DarfMike⁠" Winnick on the desk, who most recently hosted the Road to IEM Rio Americas RMR.

Below is the announced talent list:

Mike "⁠DarfMike⁠" Winnick - Desk Host
James "⁠BanKs⁠" Banks - Stage Host

Allan "⁠Allan⁠" Hender - Analyst
Hege "⁠Hedje⁠" Botnen - Analyst
John "JRT" Tsoupanarias - Analyst
Michael "YouM3" Cassidy - Commentator
Brandon "BDog" Rawlings - Commentator
James "⁠BARDOLPH⁠" Bardolph - Commentator
Lucy "LucyLuce" Eastwood - Commentator

A $100,000 prize pool will be spread out amongst the eight teams, with the champion taking home the lion's share of the prize pool and obtaining a place at EPL Conference Season 17.

The prize breakdown is:

1. $50,000 + EPL Conference Season 17
2. $20,000
3-4. $10,000
5-6. $3,000
7-8. $2,000