After a five-year hiatus, the Electronic Sports League (ESL) returns to China with the IEM Chengdu tournament. The tournament starts on April 8th and features top CS2 teams competing for the title. Our Counter-Strike 2 IEM Chengdu preview article unwraps the event.
Sixteen top teams will fight for a $100,000 grand prize and a ticket to the IEM Cologne group stage. The group stage of this tournament will feature 16 teams split into two groups. The top three teams from each group will then advance to the playoffs after the group stage. The competition will unfold at the Wuliangye Chengdu Performing Arts Centre over five days.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | Counter-Strike 2, Intel Extreme Masters 2024 Chengdu |
| 🧾 Format: | CS2 Offline S-tier tournament with 16 teams and a few stages |
| 🏟️ Venue: | Wuliangye Chengdu Performing Arts Centre (for playoffs), Chengdu, China |
| 🗓️ Dates: | Monday, April 8 – Sunday, April 14, 2024 |
Sixteen teams will fight for the $250,000 prize pool and automatic qualification to the IEM Cologne in Germany. Competing teams in this tournament will be divided into two groups. The opening games will unfold as best-of-ones, while other games will be played as best-of-three.
After the group stage, three teams will emerge and compete in the playoffs. Group winners will move directly to the semi-finals, while second and third-placed teams from the group stage will compete in the quarter-finals. All matches at this stage are played as a single-elimination bracket with best-of-three matches.
The latest CS2 betting odds from top bookies are now available for this contest. The following teams are ranked among the top five likely outright winners of this tournament:
Currently ranked number one globally, FaZe Clan is the top favorite to win this contest. Coach Filip “Neo” Kubuski’s team has been excellent this year, with several second-place finishes at several competitions. They finished second at the just-concluded PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen. They also finished second at the 2024 IEM Katowice in Poland, the 2023 BLAST Premier World Finals, and the BLAST Premier Fall Finals. FaZe Clan has consistently reached the grand finals of most S-Tier tournaments. Given this reality, it is unsurprising that most CS2 IEM Chengdu 2024 odds from bookies place them as top favorites to win this tournament.
MOUZ is another top contender to clinch the title, thanks to their recent showing in competitive CS2 tournaments. They have been placed in Group A alongside G2 Esports, Heroic, and Team Liquid. The European team finished fifth at the 2024 PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen. They also finished fourth at the 2024 IEM Katowice event and the 2023 BLAST Premier World Finals. Dennis “Sycrone” Nielsen’s team will look to make it past the semi-finals at Chengdu in this tournament. If they can accomplish that task, they could be on their way to grabbing a first title since winning the ESL Pro League season 18.
G2 Esports is another top side in this competition. They are currently placed 5th on the global rankings and have the potential to claim a surprise victory in China. Although they have not been in good form, they are still formidable, securing a third-place finish at the 2024 PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen. With players like m0NESY, NiKo, and huNter, they could end up with the first elite trophy in the CS2 era.
Cloud9, the No. 7 ranked team globally, is another team to watch out for in this competition. They secured an 8th-place finish at Copenhagen and walked away with a $45,000 prize for their efforts. Their other notable achievement in recent months saw them finish fourth at the BLAST Premier Fall Final. Without a doubt, they aren’t the first on the list for claiming the title, but none will be surprised if they repeat their group-stage performances on Major and clinch the trophy.
Despite ranking 9th globally, Virtus.pro enters the Chengdu tournament with a question mark. Coached by Dastan Akbayev, the Russian squad finds itself among the top contenders despite recent struggles. Unlike their competitors, Virtus.pro has consistently placed outside the top five in recent outings. To emerge victorious next week, they’ll need a drastic turnaround in performance.
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FaZe Clan is the top-ranking side in this tournament. They have the best form, with plenty of second-placed finishes in several international top CS2 competitions. There is no doubt about their ability to compete at the highest level. The main issue now is if they can take the next step and grab a much-needed title win this year. They have an unchanged side, and coach Filip “Neo” Kubuski will be eager to get that elusive title. With players like frozen, ropz, karrigan, broky, and rain on their roster, we expect them to bounce back from PGL Major fail in the final and win this tournament.
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Apart from winning the title outright, FaZe Clan is also a favorite to finish top of Group B. The European roster have demonstrated their strength on several occasions this year. They have shown consistency against several opponents, securing victories easily in past competitions. FaZe Clan is thriving under the leadership of karrigan, and we expect this trend to continue at this tournament. Esports live betting odds from top bookmakers expect them to finish top of the Group and progress to the semi-finals.
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MOUZ are in great shape coming into this competition. Although they were unable to pass the Semi-final stage in recent competitions, they have continuously showcased their ability to fight when it matters. Their best outing this year saw them claim fourth spot at the 2024 IEM Katowice event. They also claimed fifth position at the 2024 PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen. They have a solid squad with torszi, xertioN, siuhy, Brollan, and Jimpphat on their roster. Given the quality of teams in this competition, we expect them to make it past the semi-finals this time out. Our CS2 predictions for IEM Chengdu support this outcome.
These are the best picks from our 2024 CS2 IEM Chengdu predictions guide:
Given their current form, FaZe Clan is the top choice for securing victory in China. As the tournament unfolds, use our betting predictions for CS2 IEM Chengdu 2024 to bet on 2024 IEM Chengdu games. If you aren’t sure about FaZe’s ability to fight back after the upset in Copenhagen so quickly, then we recommend relying on the best in play bets after seeing them in action.
