Roadmap Expands Resources for Top Women’s Teams as They Fight to Qualify for Electrifying Global LAN Tournaments
Wednesday, December 18, 2024, Cologne/Dallas/Stockholm – ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading esports and video game entertainment company, today announced the latest details for its premier all-women Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) circuit – ESL Impact 2025. Now entering its fourth consecutive year, ESL Impact continues to represent the pinnacle of women’s esports, bringing together the world’s best teams to compete for a chance to play in front of a passionate crowd and ultimately reach the top.
The ESL Impact 2025 circuit will see a total financial contribution of $1 million USD towards participating teams and players, including prize pools ($300,000 USD) and a Seasonal Club Incentive ($700,000 USD), which is aimed at sustainably supporting teams with women’s esports programs and driving increased engagement across the ESL Impact ecosystem. The Seasonal Club Incentive not only acknowledges top-performing clubs, but rewards them using bespoke content around the women’s esports scene to build even more awareness for ESL Impact and its competitors.
“When we initially launched the circuit in 2022, we could not have anticipated the incredible talent that would emerge within the women’s Counter-Strike scene,” said Charlie Sirc, Product Manager, Game Ecosystems, Counter-Strike at ESL FACEIT Group. “At EFG, we remain fully committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment where these players can thrive, compete, and grow. ESL Impact has set the bar for women’s esports, and we’re thrilled to see publishers and tournament organizers across the industry follow in our footsteps and find their own ways to support historically marginalized competitors.“
Launched at the beginning of 2022, ESL Impact is a part of EFG’s #GGFORALL initiative, dedicated to fostering safe, inclusive spaces for marginalized gamers. For more than three years, it has constantly diversified the competitive landscape and improved representation in esports by creating safe spaces for women to compete by highlighting role models and inspiring women to pursue careers in esports. The initiative provides teams, talent, players, staff, fans, and more with a dedicated ecosystem and year-round programming, creating a more diverse and equal gaming environment for everyone.
The ESL Impact 2025 Circuit
In alignment with updated operational guidelines for Counter-Strike esports in 2025, there will be several changes to the tournament approach, player verification process, and slot distribution in the upcoming year, all of which are available here. While adhering to these new requirements, ESL Impact aims to remain true to its core values, ensuring that fans and players continue to enjoy the highest level of competition.
ESL Impact League Season 7 Open Qualifiers
- Open Qualifiers #1: January 31 – February 2, 2025.
- Open Qualifiers #2: February 4 – 6, 2025.
- Teams from Europe (EU), North America (NA), and South America (SA) can battle it out in their regional open qualifiers to secure 12 spots in the ESL Impact League Season 7.
ESL Impact League Season 7
- February 26 – April 13, 2025.
- The 28 best teams from EU, NA, and SA will battle it out in their regional online league.
- The top four teams from EU, the top two teams from NA, and the top two teams from SA qualify for the Global Finals.
ESL Impact Season 7 Global Finals in Dallas
- May 23 – 25, 2025.
- Dallas, Texas, USA
- Competing for a share of the $150,000 total prize pool and the coveted title, the eight top teams face off in front of a live audience at DreamHack Dallas.
ESL Impact League Season 8 Open Qualifiers
- Open Qualifiers #1: August 15 – 17, 2025.
- Open Qualifiers #2: August 22 – 24, 2025.
- Teams from EU, NA, and SA can battle it out in their regional open qualifiers to secure 20 spots in the league.
ESL Impact League Season 8
- September 10 – October 26, 2025.
- The 28 best teams from EU, NA, and SA will battle it out in their regional online league.
- The top four teams from EU, the top two teams from NA, and the top two teams from SA qualify for the Global Finals.
ESL Impact Season 8 Global Finals in Stockholm
- November 28 – 30, 2025.
- Stockholm, Sweden.
- With $150,000 of the total prize pool up for grabs, the eight best teams go head-to-head in front of a live crowd in Stockholm.
Stay tuned for more updates on the 2025 ESL Impact Program. For more information about the all-women Counter-Strike circuit, make sure to follow ESL Impact on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram and visit the official website.
For more general information, check out eslfaceitgroup.com or follow ESL FACEIT Group on LinkedIn.
About ESL FACEIT Group
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is the leading esports and video game entertainment company dedicated to creating worlds beyond gameplay where players and fans become community. EFG is built on a legacy of world-renowned brands including ESL, FACEIT, and DreamHack, providing innovative ecosystems for global communities of players, fans and creators around the games they love. Working alongside leading partners, brands and global IPs, EFG operates an unmatched portfolio of live events, digital platforms and developer tools that reach and engage millions of gamers worldwide. For more information visit www.eslfaceitgroup.com.
About ESL Impact
ESL Impact is a competitive all-women Counter-Strike ecosystem launched at the beginning of 2022. A part of ESL FACEIT Group’s #GGFORALL program based on the belief that “it’s not GG [Good Game] until it’s GG for all,” the circuit aims to increase awareness, provide new opportunities, and improve the representation for women across the board: players, teams, and broadcast talent. ESL Impact features monthly Cash Cups on FACEIT, two yearly online league seasons culminating at Global Finals in front of the audience at DreamHack festivals, offering a secure and competitive environment for women to excel in the world of esports (https://pro.eslgaming.com/csgo/impact/).
