Follow us on Twitter @LiquipediaCS if you'd like to be kept up to date on all things Counter-Strike!
ESEA
From Liquipedia Counter-Strike Wiki
|

ESL Gaming Online, Inc.
Company Information
Industry:
Professional Gaming League
Parent Company:
ESL
Founded:
2003
Website:
Links
ESEA (formerly E-Sports Entertainment LLC), is an online community and service owned by ESL. ESEA exclusively organizes CS:GO competitions, including leagues, cups, and pick-up games, which are also protected by its proprietary anti-cheat. ESEA is among one of the most influential organizations in Counter-Strike's history.
About[edit]
ESEA League began offering lessons to improve gaming skills in 2003 providing instruction in Half-Life, Counter-Strike, and Warcraft III. [1] ESEA created the first professional fantasy e-sports league in 2004. [2] ESEA began its league history with Counter-Strike,[3] but later added Team Fortress 2 (TF2) a game which gained more popularity after its adaption to "Free-to-play" gaming. [4] ESEA's anti-cheat and player validation software has been adopted by other leagues as well. [5]
Events[edit]
Global Challenge[edit]
Global Challenge |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
Jul 13 - 14, 2019
$75,000
8 teams
Dec 7 - 9, 2018
$50,000
8 teams
May 11 - 13, 2018
$50,000
8 teams
Jan 5 - 7, 2018
$50,000
8 teams
Premier Division[edit]
Europe |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
Nov 2 - Dec 19, 2021
$50,000
17 teams
Aug 17 - Oct 17, 2021
$50,000
16 teams
May 4 - Jun 27, 2021
$50,000
18 teams
Jan 26 - Apr 18, 2021
$50,000
18 teams
Sep 1 - Nov 26, 2020
$30,000
18 teams
Aug 7 - 17, 2020
$27,500
3 teams
Apr 27 - Jul 1, 2020
$36,000
18 teams
Feb 3 - Mar 19, 2020
$1,500
18 teams
Dec 13, 2019
2 teams
Sep 9 - Nov 13, 2019
$2,500
18 teams
Apr 29 - Jun 21, 2019
$2,500
18 teams
Jan 15 - Apr 4, 2019
$35,000
18 teams
Sep 17 - Nov 15, 2018
$2,500
24 teams
May 22 - Sep 5, 2018
$37,000
27 teams
May 9, 2018
2 teams
Jan 22 - Apr 5, 2018
$2,500
27 teams
Jan 4, 2018
2 teams
Sep 24 - Nov 16, 2017
$2,500
27 teams
Jan 31 - Apr 17, 2017
$2,500
24 teams
Jan 5, 2017
2 teams
Sep 6 - Dec 5, 2016
$2,500
24 teams
May 29 - Aug 17, 2016
$5,000
17 teams
May 7, 2016
$20,000
4 teams
Sep 8 - Dec 3, 2015
$12,000
17 teams
Jul 16 - 26, 2015
$12,000
17 teams
North America |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
Nov 2 - Dec 19, 2021
$50,000
17 teams
Aug 18 - Oct 17, 2021
$50,000
16 teams
May 4 - Jun 27, 2021
$50,000
18 teams
Jan 26 - Apr 18, 2021
$50,000
20 teams
Sep 1 - Nov 18, 2020
$30,000
17 teams
Aug 7, 2020
$27,500
3 teams
Apr 27 - Jul 1, 2020
$36,000
18 teams
Feb 3 - Mar 19, 2020
$1,500
20 teams
Dec 13, 2019
2 teams
Sep 9 - Nov 10, 2019
18 teams
May 1 - Jun 21, 2019
18 teams
Jan 15 - Apr 1, 2019
$35,000
18 teams
Dec 5, 2018
2 teams
Sep 17 - Nov 15, 2018
$2,500
19 teams
May 22 - Jul 27, 2018
$37,000
24 teams
May 9, 2018
2 teams
Jan 23 - Mar 29, 2018
$2,500
24 teams
Jan 4, 2018
2 teams
Sep 26 - Nov 16, 2017
24 teams
Jun 6 - Aug 28, 2017
$2,500
24 teams
Jan 31 - Apr 9, 2017
$2,500
24 teams
Sep 6 - Dec 1, 2016
$5,000
24 teams
May 29 - Aug 14, 2016
$5,000
17 teams
Jan 26 - Apr 10, 2016
17 teams
Sep 10 - Dec 3, 2015
$12,000
17 teams
Jul 16 - 26, 2015
$12,000
17 teams
Jan 6 - Apr 19, 2015
$12,000
17 teams
Jul 15 - Oct 26, 2014
$6,000
17 teams
Australia |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
Nov 2 - Dec 20, 2021
$6,500
16 teams
Aug 17 - Oct 17, 2021
$7,000
16 teams
May 4 - Jun 27, 2021
$9,250
18 teams
Jan 26 - Apr 18, 2021
$11,000
16 teams
Sep 1 - Nov 4, 2020
$13,250
18 teams
Apr 28 - Sep 7, 2020
$9,500
17 teams
Jan 13 - Mar 22, 2020
$14,500
16 teams
Sep 9 - Nov 9, 2019
$4,500
18 teams
Apr 29 - Jun 13, 2019
$4,500
18 teams
Jan 16 - Mar 28, 2019
$10,000
18 teams
Sep 18 - Nov 8, 2018
$6,000
17 teams
May 21 - Aug 15, 2018
$12,000
17 teams
Jan 23 - Apr 1, 2018
$6,000
17 teams
Sep 24 - Nov 23, 2017
$6,000
17 teams
May 23 - Aug 15, 2017
$6,000
17 teams
Jan 31 - Apr 12, 2017
$6,000
17 teams
Sep 6 - Nov 22, 2016
$5,000
17 teams
Advanced Division[edit]
Europe |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
Apr 25 - Jul 12, 2022
$20,300
97 teams




Jan 31 - Apr 3, 2022
$20,000
83 teams
Oct 22 - Dec 15, 2021
$20,000
74 teams
Aug 5 - Oct 10, 2021
$20,000
67 teams
May 5 - Jul 11, 2021
$20,000
56 teams
Jan 18 - Apr 14, 2021
$15,000
55 teams
Sep 1 - Dec 3, 2020
$15,000
61 teams
Apr 28 - Jul 20, 2020
$15,000
57 teams
Jan 13 - Apr 7, 2020
$15,000
62 teams
Aug 27 - Dec 7, 2019
$15,000
67 teams
Apr 29 - Jul 17, 2019
$15,000
70 teams
Jan 8 - Apr 7, 2019
$11,500
71 teams
Sep 17 - Dec 13, 2018
$11,600
70 teams
May 15 - Jul 29, 2018
$11,000
71 teams
North America |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
May 8, 2022
$700
7 teams
May 1, 2022
$700
15 teams
Apr 24, 2022
$700
18 teams
Jan 31 - Apr 3, 2022
$20,000
52 teams
Oct 22 - Dec 14, 2021
$20,000
53 teams
Aug 5 - Oct 11, 2021
$20,000
44 teams
May 4 - Jul 11, 2021
$20,000
48 teams
Jan 12 - Apr 14, 2021
$15,000
49 teams
Sep 1 - Dec 3, 2020
$15,000
55 teams
Apr 27 - Jul 20, 2020
$15,000
56 teams
Jan 13 - Apr 6, 2020
$15,000
64 teams
Sep 23 - Dec 9, 2019
$15,000
56 teams
Apr 23 - Jul 17, 2019
$15,000
51 teams
Jan 8 - Apr 7, 2019
$11,500
71 teams
Sep 11 - Dec 3, 2018
$11,600
46 teams
May 22 - Aug 17, 2018
$11,000
39 teams
Main Division[edit]
Europe |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
Jan 30 - Apr 10, 2022
$10,000
137 teams
Oct 21 - Jan 9, 2022
$10,000
135 teams
May 3 - Jul 18, 2021
$10,000
148 teams
Jan 12 - Apr 18, 2021
$11,000
119 teams
Sep 1 - Dec 8, 2020
$10,500
90 teams
Apr 21 - Aug 6, 2020
$10,500
82 teams
Jan 13 - Apr 9, 2020
$10,500
86 teams
Aug 27 - Dec 18, 2019
$10,500
96 teams
Apr 29 - Jul 22, 2019
$10,500
102 teams
Sep 11 - Dec 13, 2018
$9,400
124 teams
May 15 - Aug 13, 2018
$9,400
173 teams
Apr 25 - May 14, 2018
4 teams
Jan 21 - Mar 26, 2018
$10,000
142 teams
Sep 19 - Dec 15, 2017
$9,000
125 teams
Jun 2 - Aug 23, 2017
$8,500
107 teams
Jan 27 - Apr 24, 2017
$8,500
76 teams
Sep 13 - Dec 1, 2016
$7,500
60 teams


Jan 21 - Apr 20, 2016
$7,000
33 teams
Sep 3 - Dec 16, 2015
$5,950
23 teams
Apr 30 - Jul 19, 2015
$5,100
23 teams
Jan 16 - Apr 19, 2015
$5,100
24 teams
Jul 15 - Nov 11, 2014
$5,700
22 teams
North America |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
Jan 30 - Apr 10, 2022
$10,000
122 teams
Oct 21 - Jan 9, 2022
$10,000
112 teams
Aug 2 - Oct 10, 2021
$10,000
132 teams
May 3 - Jul 18, 2021
$10,000
123 teams
Jan 12 - Apr 18, 2021
$11,000
114 teams
Aug 31 - Dec 10, 2020
$11,500
115 teams
Apr 21 - Aug 6, 2020
$11,500
130 teams
Jan 13 - Apr 9, 2020
$11,500
teams
Sep 3 - Dec 22, 2019
$11,500
140 teams
Apr 23 - Jul 26, 2019
$10,500
140 teams
May 15 - Aug 13, 2018
$9,200
109 teams
Jan 16 - Apr 22, 2018
$10,000
127 teams
Sep 2 - Dec 12, 2017
$9,000
113 teams
Jun 2 - Aug 23, 2017
$8,500
97 teams
Jan 27 - Apr 23, 2017
$9,000
83 teams
Sep 12 - Dec 9, 2016
$8,500
8 teams
May 25 - Aug 18, 2016
$7,000
70 teams
Jan 21 - Apr 21, 2016
$7,000
59 teams
Jul 15 - Oct 26, 2015
$5,100
31 teams
Jan 5 - Apr 19, 2015
$5,100
38 teams
Mar 4 - Jun 22, 2014
$5,100
teams
Oct 1 - Jan 31, 2014
$5,100
teams
May 14 - Aug 25, 2013
$5,100
teams
Invite Division[edit]
Finals |
---|
G & S Tournament
Date
Prize
P#
Location
Winner
Runner-up
Apr 11 - Jul 1, 2012
$19,600
12 teams
Apr 11 - Jul 1, 2012
$19,600
12 teams
Mar 3 - 4, 2012
$19,600
12 teams
Sep 23 - 25, 2011
$18,000
5 teams