ESL Pro League Season 22 Playoffs: Teams, Format, Schedule and More

8 Oct

Ganesh Jadhav

Despite a turbulent start to the second stage of ESL Pro League Season 22, the remaining rounds pretty much followed the expectations. With the exception of the MongolZ and G2 Esports, there weren’t any major upsets going into the final stage of competition.

Teams and Format

Out of the 16 teams playing the second stage, only eight have qualified for the Playoffs. These are:

These teams will be seeded into the Single-elimination bracket Playoffs according to their VRS rankings. Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Third-Place Decider are Bo3, Grand Finals is Bo5.

Fixtures and Schedule

The ESL Pro League Season 22 Playoffs kick off October 10th. The complete schedule and fixture for the last stage of the tournament are:

Friday, October 10th: Quarterfinals
- 10:30 am CEST - 3DMAX vs. Team Falcons
- 01:00 pm CEST - MOUZ vs. Natus Vincere
- 3:30 pm CEST - Team Spirit vs. FaZe Clan
- 6:00 pm CEST - FURIA vs. Team Vitality
Saturday, October 11th: Semifinals
Sunday, October 12th:
- 1:30 pm CEST - Third Place Decider
- 5:00 pm CEST - Grand Final

Follow Strafe to stay updated on the rest of the EPL S22 Playoffs schedule.

Playoffs Preview and Prediction

Quarterfinal Matchups

3DMAX vs. Team Falcons: It looks like the stars are aligning for Team Falcons ahead of the EPL S22 Playoffs. During Stage 2, m0NESY and NiKo found their long-lost form, and if it continues into the quarterfinals, they should have no problem taking down 3DMAX.

MOUZ vs. Natus Vincere: Both MOUZ and Natus Vincere have been shaky for a while now. MOUZ, once the second-best team in the world, has been inconsistent, to say the least. NaVi, despite the StarSeries win, aren’t much different. While MOUZ are the favorites, the outcome will depend on which team finds its form first.

Team Spirit vs. FaZe Clan: Both Team Spirit and FaZe Clan debuted a new member at EPL S22. While FaZe’s debut was far worse and full of drama, Spirit is off to a great start — and if the FaZe Magic doesn’t interfere, they are potential winners.

FURIA vs. Team Vitality: Since their Austin Major win, Vitality have been in a slump. They’ve shown some signs of life at EPL, but their journey back to the top of Counter-Strike starts with sweeping the current VRS #1, FURIA. We think Vitality wins, but FURIA is a team that always brings the heat for the Playoffs.

Who Wins ESL Pro League Season 22?

Based on Stage 2 performances, three teams have the biggest claim to the ESL Pro League S22 title: Team Spirit, Team Vitality, and Team Falcons. All three have the potential to go the distance, and if form is anything to go by, they are in strong contention for the trophy.

Our favorite among them is Team Spirit. Donk aside, the team has found a new number two in tn1r, who has been performing exceptionally well. With experience under his belt, he isn’t a stranger to Playoffs pressure, meaning nerves shouldn’t be a factor. All in all, Team Spirit lifting their second ESL title in the Grand Slam race seems likely.

We place Team Vitality above Team Falcons because the latter is prone to a case of “Playoff choking.” While m0NESY, NiKo, and Kyousuke are firing on all cylinders right now, they might struggle to make it through the semifinals.

Given FURIA’s recent performance, they should still be considered contenders going into the Playoffs, but their shakiness during Stage 1 raises doubts about their ability to overcome Vitality and Spirit.

FaZe Magic is always a factor, but against Team Spirit and Team Vitality, it’s hard to make a convincing case. Neither MOUZ nor Natus Vincere have the stability to counter the sheer firepower of Team Falcons.

Meaning, The winnner of ESL Pro League S22 will be between Spirit, Vitality and Falcons.