M80 to face GamerLegion in Play-In; Complexity drawn in Group A of IEM Katowice
ESL announced this morning the groups and the Play-In draw for the upcoming IEM Katowice. M80 will face GamerLegion to start their Katowice journey and are on the same side of the bracket as Virtus.pro and Rooster.
As for Complexity, they will face one of the Play-In teams on their debut in Poland but are in the same group as FaZe, Falcons, and, once again, NAVI. The Cowboys and the Ukrainian organization met in the playoffs of BLAST Premier Fall Final, and will meet in the group stage of BLAST Premier Spring Groups and ESL Pro League Season 19, while also having the chance to meet during IEM Katowice.
IEM Katowice Play-In is a double-elimination bracket where eight teams advance, meaning M80 can qualify with only two wins, a Bo1 match against GamerLegion, and a Bo3 series against the winner of Virtus.pro vs. Rooster. Failing to win one of those two series will send M80 to the lower bracket where they can't lose without being eliminated from the event and need two wins to reach the group stage.
The group stage will feature two groups of eight teams, also following the same double-elimination format but every game is a Bo3 series. The top three teams from each will advance to the playoffs. Group winners clinch a spot in the semifinals, the runner-ups in the quarterfinals as the high seeds, and third-place teams in the quarterfinals as the low seeds. The playoffs are a single-elimination bracket and, while the quarterfinals and semifinals are Bo3 series, the grand final will be a Bo5 match.
Notably, Liquid will miss IEM Katowice for the first time since 2017, where they placed second in the Closed Qualifier against Immortals. This time, with the invites being based on the teams' ESL World Ranking positions, and Liquid being a newly formed squad, Keith "NAF" Markovic and co. won't be playing in Poland. Last year, Liquid lost in the semifinals of IEM Katowice against G2, who would win the event.
IEM Katowice 2024 is the first ESL event where North American-based teams will suffer from the removal of a regional spot. Where otherwise two NA teams would be invited due to their regional ESL rank, now only one squad is traveling to Katowice through that criteria. M80 was the #2 North American team and benefitted from the fact that Complexity is #4 in the whole world and was invited through the World Ranking.
Brazilian fans will also notice that FURIA is the only South American team in the tournament, suffering the same fate as North Americans but not being high enough in the ranks to help another team follow them to Katowice.
IEM Katowice starts on January 31st with the Play-In stage, which will end on February 2nd. The group stage begins the very next day, with the playoffs starting on February 9th. The grand final will be on February 11th.