NAVI Takes Home the Lion’s Share of EPL Season 20’s $750K Prize Pool and a Win in the Race for the Intel® Grand Slam V
Cologne/New York/St. Julian’s, September 22, 2024 – ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 20, brought to you by ESL FACEIT Group, the leading esports and video game entertainment company, ended with a bang Sunday as Natus Vincere (NAVI) stormed to victory in an electrifying Grand Final in St. Julian’s, Malta. With fans glued to the action, NAVI put on a masterclass performance, taking down Eternal Fire, the first Turkish team to make it to the EPL grand finals, and cementing their dominance as EPL Champions for the second time.
Season 20 wasn’t just about claiming the EPL title for NAVI – this victory also marked a major milestone in their quest for Intel® Grand Slam V and earned NAVI not only the EPL trophy but a guaranteed spot at the first ESL Pro Tour Championship of 2025.
EPL Season 20 hit new heights with peak viewership of over 819,850*, as fans tuned in from around the world to catch the action. The final three days saw an electric atmosphere, with fans from 36 countries flocking to Malta to be part of the live experience.
GROUP STAGE
Season 20 of the world’s biggest Counter-Strike league began on September 3, with 32 teams split into four groups of eight for the Group Stage. The top four teams from each group punched their tickets to the Playoffs, with group winners heading straight to the Quarterfinals. The runners-up advanced to the Round-of-12, while the rest battled it out in an intense Round-of-16.
The first week kicked off with teams from Groups A and B battling it out for a spot in the Playoffs. In Group A, NAVI went head-to-head with Eternal Fire in an upper-bracket match, with NAVI dominating and securing the first Playoffs spot. Meanwhile, FaZe Clan and HEROIC fought through the mid-bracket and lower-bracket finals, locking in their own Playoff spots.
Group B delivered intense action, with G2 Esports dominating the competition and going undefeated to secure the top position. Close behind, MIBR, Team Spirit, and The MongolZ claimed the remaining Playoff spots, rounding out the top four.
In the second week of EPL Season 20, the spotlight shifted to Groups C and D, where teams had their chance to shine and prove their mettle. Group C saw M80 dominate the competition, finishing undefeated at the top of their group, while Imperial Sportsbet secured a strong second-place finish. Joining them in the Playoffs, BIG battled their way through the mid-bracket, with Complexity clinching the final spot via the lower-bracket.
Group D brought intense competition, with countless close rounds keeping the action thrilling. In the end, it was Team Vitality who emerged victorious, securing the first Playoffs spot. Team Liquid, Virtus.pro, and Furia Esports soon followed, rounding out the top four and locking in their places in the next stage.
PLAYOFFS
The Playoffs for EPL Season 20, held from September 17-21, showcased the top 16 teams in a gripping single-elimination bracket, all vying for a spot in the Grand Final. After two days of fierce competition, eight teams remained, including MIBR and G2 Esports, who advanced to the semis alongside NAVI and Eternal Fire. In the Semifinals, Eternal Fire delivered a standout performance, securing their victory over MIBR, while NAVI triumphed over G2 Esports to advance.
GRAND FINAL
In Sunday’s Grand Final, NAVI took on Eternal Fire in front of a full crowd of cheering fans at the InterContinental Malta. Following a back-and-forth series, NAVI came out on top in a 13-10 series, with Justinas “jL-” Lekavicius earning MVP honors. NAVI took home $170,000 of EPL Season 20’s $750,000 prize pool. As of now NAVI starts their Intel Grand Slam Journey, with their first EPT Masters win in 10 events.
“I am grateful for my teammates, they really stepped up and made it happen,” jL- said. “Thank you to all the fans for being so amazing and supporting us and the team, and it is only up from here.”
For more information about ESL Pro League Season 20, and the latest updates on the event, please visit the official website, and follow ESL Counter-Strike on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
Assets for ESL Pro League Season 20 can be found in the press kit, which is available here.
For more general information on ESL FACEIT Group, visit eslfaceitgroup.com or follow ESL FACEIT Group on LinkedIn.
*According to escharts.com
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
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 esports and video game entertainment company.
About ESL Pro League
The ESL Pro League is the world’s longest-running professional league for Counter-Strike, featuring the best teams from Europe, North America, South America and the Asia-Pacific region. Broadcast across various platforms and staged over the years in landmark venues across the globe, the event, split into two seasons a year, provides a unique challenge in the Counter-Strike calendar and is highly valued by teams, players and fans alike. Originally established in 2015, by 2019 it offered a total prize pool of US$1,5 million. Following the signing of the Louvre Agreement in 2020, ESL Pro League brings 15 of the biggest brands in esports to compete alongside 17 teams trying their best to capitalize on their recent successes (https://pro.eslgaming.com/csgo/proleague/).
