Invitations for the ESL Pro League Season 21 have been announced, where invitations were distributed according to the Valve ranking. The tournament will take place in March in Stockholm, marking the first location change since ESL Pro League Season 16. The previous 4 seasons were held in Malta. 

Team List:

The list of invited teams includes a bit of a shock as FaZe did not receive an invitation. The reason is currently unknown. 

• G2 Esports
• Team Spirit
• The MongolZ
• Team Vitality
• MOUZ
• NAVI
• Team Falcons
• Team Liquid

Teams in Stage 1 qualified based both on the Valve ranking and through ESL Challenger League Season 48 tournaments from various regions.

• FURIA 
• 3DMAX
• Eternal Fire 
• GamerLegion
• HEROIC
• Nemiga
• M80
• NRG
• paiN Gaming 
• MIBR
• TYLOO 
• Lynn Vision 
• Mindfreak 
• HouseBets
• FlyQuest
• SAW 

Tournament Format:

The tournament starts with the first stage, where 16 teams compete in a Swiss system. All matches are played in a Bo3 format, and the top eight teams advance to the second stage. The second stage also follows the Swiss system, featuring 16 teams, including those with direct invitations and those who progressed from the first stage.

In this stage, all matches are also played in a Bo3 format, and the best eight teams move on to the playoffs. The playoffs are played in a single-elimination format. Quarterfinal and semifinal matches are played in Bo3 format, while the grand final is played in a Bo5 format.

Tournament Prize Fund

The total tournament prize fund is $850,000, distributed as follows:

• 1st place: $100,000
• 2nd place: $50,000
• 3rd-4th place: $25,000
• 5th-8th place: $18,000
• 9th-11th place: $13,500
• 12th-14th place: $10,500
• 15th-16th place: $8,500
• 17th-19th place: $6,500
• 20th-22nd place: $4,500
• 23rd-24th place: $3,000

ESL Pro League Season 21 will take place from March 1 to March 16, 2025. The total prize fund of the tournament amounts to $850,000. You can follow the tournament's progress and match schedule by clicking on this link.