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IEM Sydney 2023 Teams, Schedule, and More

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IEM Sydney 2023 Teams, Schedule, and More

IEM Sydney marks the return of IEM action in Australia and the tier-one debut of CS2. Here is everything you need to know about IEM Sydney 2023 teams, format, schedule and more

Sydney's gaming arena is about to witness a grand revival as Intel Extreme Masters returns to the Harbor City after a four-year absence. This long-overdue reunion is not just a nostalgic treat but also paves the way for a thrilling new era, becoming the very first major CS tournament post the spectacular launch of Counter-Strike 2 on September 27, 2023. Here is all you need to know about the competition.

IEM Sydney 2023: How to Watch?

Don't miss a second of IEM Sydney action – catch it all live on ESL's official CS Twitch channel, or tune in via their YouTube channel! You can find the links below:

IEM Sydney 2023 Teams

The 16-team roster ready to take the stage has been curated through a mix of partner slots, prized ESL ranking invites, and fierce qualifications. A curious omission from the list is the absence of Heroic and Astralis, the only top-10 teams to turn down their ranking invitations.

IEM Sydney 2023

Photo Credit: ESL 

Here is the final list of teams set to grace the arena in Sydney:

  • Vitality
  • MOUZ
  • Natus Vincere
  • FaZe
  • GamerLegion
  • Apeks
  • BetBoom
  • VERTEX
  • ENCE
  • G2
  • Monte
  • Cloud9
  • Complexity
  • Fnatic
  • Lynn Vision
  • Grayhound

IEM Sydney Format

In a double-elimination setup, the participants have been sorted into two groups of eight. The first round begins with best-of-one battles, transitioning into best-of-three contests for the remainder of the tournament. The grand final will also be played in a B03 format. Claiming victory in their respective groups, the champion teams will secure a direct entry into the single-elimination playoffs' semi-finals. As for the teams in second and third place, they'll have a shot at the quarter-finals.

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IEM Sydney Prize Pool

A significant sum of $250,000 USD awaits contenders at IEM Sydney 2023, and the champion team will celebrate with a $100,000 USD cash prize. Their victory will also grant them entry into IEM Katowice 2024.

Prize Distribution

  • Champions ($100,000 USD, IEM Katowice 2024 spot)
  • Runner-ups ($42,000 USD)
  • 3rd-4th ($20,000 USD)
  • 5th-6th ($10,000 USD)
  • 7th-8th ($6000 USD)
  • 9th-12th ($5000 USD)
  • 12th-16th ($4000 USD)

IEM Sydney Schedule

Prepare for a week-long gaming extravaganza as IEM Sydney kicks off from October 16th to 22nd. The group stage promises action-packed simultaneous matches on the first three days, from Monday to Wednesday, followed by a thrilling playoff weekend from Friday to Sunday.

October 16, Monday

  • Natus Vincere vs Apeks (Group A Upper Bracket Quarterfinals, 6:30 PM PT (Oct 15), 9:30 PM ET (Oct 15), 3:30 AM CEST)
  • Vertex vs MOUZ (Group A Upper Bracket Quarterfinals, 6:30 PM PT (Oct 15), 9:30 PM ET (Oct 15), 3:30 AM CEST)
  • Team Vitality vs BetBoom Team (Group A Upper Bracket Quarterfinals, 7:30 PM PT (Oct 15), 10:30 PM ET (Oct 15), 4:30 AM CEST)
  • FaZe Clan vs GamerLegion (Group A Upper Bracket Quarterfinals, 7:30 PM PT (Oct 15), 10:30 PM ET (Oct 15), 4:30 AM CEST)
  • ENCE vs Lynn Vision (Group B Upper Bracket Quarterfinals, 8:30 PM PT (Oct 15), 11:30 PM ET (Oct 15), 5:30 AM CEST)
  • Cloud9 vs Fnatic (Group B Upper Bracket Quarterfinals, 8:30 PM PT (Oct 15), 11:30 PM ET (Oct 15), 5:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group A Upper Bracket Semifinals 1, 9:30 PM PT (Oct 15), 12:30 AM ET , 6:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group A Lower Bracket Quarterfinals 1, 9:30 AM PT (Oct 15), 12:30 AM ET, 6:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group A Upper Bracket Semifinals 2, 1:30 AM PT , 4:30 AM ET , 10:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group A Lower Bracket Quarterfinals 2, 1:30 AM PT , 4:30 AM ET , 10:30 AM CEST)
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October 17, Tuesday

  • TBD vs TBD (Group B Lower Bracket Quarterfinals 1, 7:30 PM PT (Oct 16), 10:30 PM ET (Oct 16), 4:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group B Lower Bracket Quarterfinals 2, 7:30 PM PT (Oct 16), 10:30 PM ET (Oct 16), 4:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group B Upper Bracket Semifinals 1, 10:30 PM PT (Oct 16), 1:30 AM ET, 7:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group A Lower Bracket Semifinals 1, 10:30 PM PT (Oct 16), 1:30 AM ET, 7:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group A Lower Bracket Semifinals 2, 1:30 PM PT, 4:30 AM ET, 10:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group B Upper Bracket Semifinals 2, 1:30 PM PT, 4:30 AM ET, 10:30 AM CEST)

October 18, Wednesday

  • TBD vs TBD (Group B Lower Bracket Semifinals 1, 7:30 PM PT (Oct 17), 10:30 PM ET (Oct 17), 4:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group B Lower Bracket Semifinals 1, 7:30 PM PT (Oct 17), 10:30 PM ET (Oct 17), 4:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group A Upper Bracket Final, 10:30 PM PT (Oct 17), 1:30 AM ET, 7:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Group A Lower Bracket Final, 10:30 PM PT (Oct 17), 1:30 AM ET, 7:30 AM CEST)

October 20, Friday

  • TBD vs TBD (Quarterfinal 1, 10:30 PM PT (Oct 19), 1:30 AM ET, 7:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Quarterfinal 2, 1:30 AM PT, 4:30 AM ET, 10:30 AM CEST)

October 21, Saturday

  • TBD vs TBD (Semifinal 1, 10:30 PM PT (Oct 20), 1:30 AM ET, 7:30 AM CEST)
  • TBD vs TBD (Semifinal 2, 1:30 AM PT, 4:30 AM ET, 10:30 AM CEST)

October 22, Sunday

  • TBD vs TBD (Grand Final, 12:30 AM PT, 3:30 AM ET, 9:30 AM CEST)