This September, the finest Counter-Strike teams from the United Kingdom and Ireland will face off live at the most prominent gaming festival in the region 

Cologne/New York – ESL, an ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) brand, and Promod Esports, the operator of the ESL Premiership, are joining forces with Insomnia the Gaming Festival for ESL Premiership Autumn 2023. Following a unique format to accommodate a return to live finals, the ESL National Championship tournament for the UK & Ireland will see diverse ways for teams to qualify for the first live Playoffs since 2019, which are set to take place on the Esports Stage at Insomnia the Gaming Festival in the NEC Birmingham, on September 8, 2023. 

Running since 2015, the ESL Premiership is the longest-standing national league in the UK & Ireland and the highest national Counter-Strike division that provides amateurs, semi-professional and professional players alike with an opportunity to develop their skills and a chance to further advance within the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) ecosystem. This year, the tournament promises to be even more spectacular as it joins forces with Insomnia the Gaming Festival – the UK’s biggest gaming festival.

The ESL Premiership Autumn 2023 will see the eight best national teams battle it out for a share of the €15,000 (over £12,500) prize pool, the coveted title, and a spot in the National Championships ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 19 EU Pre-Qualifier in the following format:

Closed Qualifiers #1

• August 4-6, 2023
• Online
• The eight best teams from the ESL Premiership Spring 2023 face off in a Double-elimination bracket. The first place advances to the Insomnia71 Playoffs.

Closed Qualifiers #2

• August 11-13, 2023
• Online
• The seven remaining teams from Closed Qualifiers #1 compete in a Double-elimination bracket. The first place advances to the Insomnia71 Playoffs.

Open Qualifiers

• August 18-20, 2023
• Online
• The six remaining teams from Closed Qualifiers #2 and a maximum of 26 teams from Open Signups face off in a Double-elimination bracket. The top two teams advance to the Insomnia71 Playoffs.

Insomnia71 LAN LCQ

• September 7, 2023.
• In-person at NEC, Birmingham
• Teams attending the LAN party at Insomnia the Gaming Festival battle it out in a Swiss format to secure one of four spots in the Insomnia71 Playoffs.
  

Insomnia71 Playoffs

• September 8, 2023
• Live at NEC, Birmingham
• The eight qualified teams compete on the Esports Stage in front of a live audience in a Single-elimination bracket, with all matches being best-of-three. 

“The partnership between the ESL Premiership, Promod Esports, and Insomnia the Gaming Festival represents a shared commitment to nurturing the growth of esports in the UK and Ireland,” said Shaun Clark, Senior Director Game Ecosystems CS:GO at ESL FACEIT Group. “We recognize the great potential of teams and players from the region as they showcased their skills on both national and international stages numerous times. It’s exciting to see the likes of ITB.SHUFFLE compete in Tier 1 Counter-Strike tournaments like the Paris Major 2023 and IEM Cologne 2023, placing the region as a strong player on the esports map.”

“We are thrilled to be working with ESL at Insomnia71. Hosting the ESL National Championships gives players and fans an incredible opportunity to come together and immerse themselves in the thrill of in-person competition. We are looking forward to providing a platform for these extraordinary teams to captivate and inspire fans at this year’s festival, which is set to be the biggest weekend of esports in the UK.” said Neil Gaisford, CEO at Player1 Events. 

For more information about the ESL Premiership Autumn 2023, please follow ESL UK on Twitter and visit Insomnia the Gaming Festival website. 

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About ESL

ESL creates a world where everybody can be somebody. For more than two decades, we have been shaping the industry and leading esports and gaming innovation globally across the most popular video games, creating a comprehensive ecosystem with opportunities for players to go from zero to hero and for fans to witness the best stories esports has to offer. The ESL portfolio consists of high-profile products such as the ESL Pro Tour, Intel® Extreme Masters, the Snapdragon Pro Series, and many more, ranging from grassroots to global elite competitions. ESL is part of ESL FACEIT Group, the leading competitive games and esports company.

About Insomnia the Gaming Festival

Insomnia the Gaming Festival is a four-day event offering immersive experiences with hundreds of games available to play throughout the weekend; from the latest releases, VR games, and tabletop to retro classics. The festival also features major grassroots esports tournaments with finals being played live on the main stage, the latest gaming tech, cosplay competitions, plus many creators and voice actors from around the world. Insomnia the Gaming Festival has been running since 1999, taking place twice a year at the NEC Birmingham and is organised by Player1 Events.

About Promod Esports

Promod Esports is a UK based gaming & esports service agency. Delivering world class services in events, live broadcast, community ecosystems and gaming. A tech and innovation led esports agency, Promod thrives on providing platforms for success within the industry at grass roots and international levels. Promod works alongside IP owners such as brands, game developers & rights holders to create engaging content. For more information, please visit their website, email contact@promod.gg, or follow on LinkedIn and Twitter.