ESL Pro League Season 21 is already on the horizon, and teams have finally received their starting positions! This year, the tournament organizers applied the Team Selected Seeding method, which allows the participants themselves to determine who will meet whom in the opening matches.

How the seeding was formed

Seeding is the foundation of any tournament, affecting not only the starting matches but also the overall balance of the competition. ESL decided to use the Team Selected Seeding method — a system where teams themselves rank their opponents. This approach is intended to ensure the most fair distribution of strength at the start of the tournament and eliminate bias from the organizers.

Each of the 16 participating teams created their own ranking of the other 15 opponents. Then, these ratings were averaged, and the results determined the final seedings. To eliminate attempts of manipulation, votes that fell outside mathematically permissible limits were annulled.

Official team seeding for the first stage

Here are the starting positions of the teams in the first stage of the tournament:

1. Eternal Fire
2. paiN
3. 3DMAX
4. FURIA
5. GamerLegion
6. HEROIC
7. MIBR
8. FlyQuest
9. M80
10. Nemiga
11. SAW
12. NRG
13. Lynn Vision
14. TYLOO
15. Housebets
16. Mindfreak

After determining the starting positions, teams will compete in the Swiss System format. However, instead of the classic Buchholz method, ESL is implementing a dynamic rating system that will be updated after each match. Wins and losses will immediately affect a team's position in the tournament standings, and the pairs for the next round will be formed based on the updated ratings. This adds additional intrigue — weaker teams will be able to quickly rise, while favorites can lose their high positions with poor play.

The use of Team Selected Seeding is a step towards a fairer and more dynamic tournament. The system promises to eliminate bias and create the most competitive environment for all participants. Now it's just a matter of watching the matches and seeing how the balance of power changes throughout the tournament.