1xBet and 9z at ESL Pro League Season 24

(PRESS RELEASE) -- October 2026 promises to be one of the busiest periods on the Counter-Strike competitive schedule. From 3-11 October, the Polish city of Katowice will host ESL Pro League Season 24, a big international event that will bring together the world’s esports elite under one roof. The main feature of the upcoming competition is its return to a full LAN format: the entire event will take place offline in Katowice, with the playoffs set to be held at Spodek Arena.

Among the 16 participants is the ambitious 9z team, which continues to strengthen its position on the global stage with the support of its official main partner, 1xBet. The South American team secured a spot in the tournament through the Global VRS Invite and will now travel to Poland to face teams from across the global CS scene.

Completely offline: a new show at the arena
The ESL Pro League has traditionally set high standards for the industry, but Season 24 takes the competition to a new level thanks to its format: all 16 participating teams will compete in a full-scale LAN event.

The race for the title will begin with the group stage, held using the Swiss system with best-of-three (Bo3) matches. Based on the first stage results, the top 8 teams will advance to the playoffs. The final stage itself will be a single-elimination tournament: the quarterfinals, semifinals, and third-place match will be played in a Bo3 format, and the tournament will culminate in a Best-of-5 (Bo5) grand final.

9z Team among the top participants
9z Team earning a spot at ESL Pro League Season 24 is a natural result of its steady progress. The team received a direct invite through the Global VRS Invite, a system based on Valve’s rankings and used to determine invitations to the biggest Tier-S tournaments.

Over the past quarter, the team has already won XSE Pro League 2026 in Guangzhou and reached the top eight at the IEM Cologne Major. Competing at ESL Pro League Season 24 against the world's best teams will test its level and be a crucial step toward strengthening the club’s position in the global CS ecosystem. International LAN events give 9z Team the opportunity to regularly face the world’s top rosters and showcase its level of play.

Star-studded lineup and international scale
ESL Pro League Season 24 remains one of the year's key events thanks to its impressive lineup of top teams. Katowice will bring together the best of the best. Confirmed participants include some of the biggest names on the global scene, such as Team Spirit, Team Falcons, MOUZ, Team Vitality, Natus Vincere, G2, FURIA, Aurora and, of course, 9z. The tournament will feature 16 organizations representing the world’s primary competitive regions. At stake are not only prestige and a $1 million prize pool, but also valuable ranking points on the international stage.

Renowned Spodek Arena and the revival of the live atmosphere
Katowice will once again host the esports tournament – a Polish city whose name is etched in golden letters in the history of global esports. It has hosted legendary events such as EMS One 2014-2015, multiple editions of Intel Extreme Masters, and the 2019 Major.

The upcoming event will be split into two key stages:
1) The group stage will take place from 3-7 October.
2) Playoffs (Arena Stage): from 9-11 October at the iconic Spodek Arena.

Moving decisive matches to an arena brings back the unique energy of a live crowd to the industry. Katowice will continue its proud tradition of hosting big esports events, and the professional CS2 scene will once again experience the atmosphere of top tournaments and packed stands.

1xBet and 9z: together on the big stage
For 9z, competing in the ESL Pro League is not only an opportunity to face some of the world’s top teams on the same stage, but also another step in the organization’s international journey. Throughout the season, the team continues to be supported by 1xBet, the official main partner of 9z. The partnership seamlessly integrates the brand and the team into a larger esports ecosystem, where tournaments like this serve as key milestones for the club’s development and its presence beyond its home region.

Now this story is set to enter a new chapter in Katowice. ESL Pro League Season 24 will bring together the top teams at the legendary arena, where the fate of one of the main tournaments on the CS2 fall schedule will be decided. And on October 11, the CS community will learn the name of the new champion in front of a packed crowd at Spodek.