In less than two months, we’ll get to enjoy the first Intel Extreme Masters World Championship in Counter-Strike since ESC Gaming took the trophy in 2012, with twelve of the best teams in the world fighting for the title as well as the lion's share of a US$250,000 prize pool.

The format
The tournament will be played in a similar format to the classic Intel Extreme Masters Counter-Strike seasons. Twelve teams will be placed in two round robin groups of six. The winners of each group will be placed into the tournament’s semifinals, while the second and third place finishers will also have a playoff to decide who goes to the semifinals.

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The event’s group stage will be played behind closed doors on March the 2nd and 3rd, with every team playing five maps in total. Following the group stage, the remainder of the event will be played out in full at the Spodek arena, with both quarterfinals and semifinals on March the 4th and a best-of-five grand final on March the 5th.

How to qualify for Intel Extreme Masters Katowice
The event will feature eight invited teams and four qualified teams. The invitations have been issued based on the results of the most recent Valve major. Should a team choose to not participate, invitations will be issued to the next available team in the ESL Power Ranking.

The four open spots will be awarded to the winners of the following competitions:
European qualifier one (January 16th to 17th on ESEA)
European qualifier two (January 25th to 26th on ESEA)
North American qualifier one (February 12th to 14th on ESEA)
Intel Extreme Masters Taipei (multiple qualifiers still open for signup)

The winners of each of these tournaments will not only gain a slot in the World Championship but will also have flights and hotels for their stay in Katowice covered.

Stay tuned for further news on the qualifiers and more about Intel Extreme Masters Katowice by following IEM on Facebook and Twitter.