ESL Announces End of National Championships

With the forthcoming launch of Counter-Strike 2, ESL has decided to bid farewell to its National Championship program. Benelux, France, Spain, and Turkey will not operate their final season this year, while Australia & New Zealand, Brazil, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom & Ireland will have a final season in 2023.

Over two decades ago, ESL pioneered the concept of national-based competitions when esports was still in its infancy, operating in just a few countries. However, as esports grew and teams embraced players from various nationalities, the clash between national and borderless systems became apparent. This divergence led to compatibility issues across different ESL Pro Tour properties. It became evident that the borderless system, characterized by pan-regional online tournaments, provided greater dynamism and flexibility for both ESL and aspiring teams and players.

While ESL will no longer actively focus on national competitions, it remains open to collaborations with third-party tournaments to accommodate players and teams seeking to continue their participation in national leagues.