Breaking: ESL to suspend Impact circuit after Season 8

ESL Impact, the CS2 circuit for women, will be suspended indefinitely once Season 8 concludes.

The decision to shut down Impact was taken because the "current economic model is simply not sustainable," ESL said. You can check the full statement below:

We have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend the ESL Impact circuit at the end of Season 8. While ESL Impact has succeeded in its mission to raise the profile of women's Counter-Strike, despite significant investment, the current economic model is simply not sustainable.

Our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive esports ecosystem remains a core value for EFG, and we will continue to support the community.

With this upcoming season being the last of the current ESL impact iteration, we want to thank all the players, teams, and fans for your dedication and for everything ESL Impact has accomplished.

Given that Impact served as the backbone for women's CS, its end put the circuit in danger and could lead to organizations dropping their rosters.

The end of Impact comes after ESL had already cut costs last year by removing the ESL Impact Katowice tournament. The tournament operator also removed a pathway to the Finals for the Asia and Oceania region.

In 2025, various organizations, including NAVI, Spirit, Astralis, and TSM, withdrew from the Impact scene. Some of them also cited that the business model was unsustainable.

As expected, the announcement of Impact's end was met with criticism in the community, and we'll likely see the developments in the coming weeks.

The ESL Impact Season 8 Finals will run in Stockholm, Sweden, from November 28th to 30th.