Gaming Giants Confirm Poland Will Stage ESL Pro League Season 24 Finals

Gaming fans worldwide are gearing up to witness one of the biggest eSports tournaments ever staged at Katowice’s Spodek Arena in October 2026.

Global competitive gaming powerhouse ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has confirmed that the ESL Pro League Season 24 Finals will take place in Poland from October 9-11 next year.

The best Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) teams in the world will kick off the tournament in September with a mouth-watering prize pool worth $1 million and the prestigious Pro League trophy up for grabs.

The Spodek Arena has produced plenty of memorable CS2 moments in the past, and the upcoming tournament promises to deliver more of the same.

What to expect at the ESL Pro League 24 Finals

ESL and the city of Katowice already share a fantastic relationship, and the upcoming tournament will strengthen those ties even further.

During the official announcement, Mayor Marcin Krupa made it clear that the Pro League’s return to Spodek is proof of the strong bond between the ESL and the city.

“For years now, Katowice has been a symbol of global eSports, and Spodek – its temple,” Krupa said.

“The return of the ESL Pro League to a format with a live audience and the choice of our city as the host of the finals is a sign of trust and recognition for our long-standing cooperation with ESL FACEIT Group.

“The city of Katowice strengthens its position as the Counter-Strike history will be written here once again – with the best players and thousands of fans from around the world.”

ESL’s Director of Game Ecosystems for Counter-Strike, Marc Winther, also joined the chorus of praise by claiming Katowice played a key role in taking Counter-Strike to the masses.

“For over a decade, ESL Pro League has been a cornerstone of competitive Counter-Strike,” Winther said. “We've been eager to bring it back in front of a big live audience, as eSports is at its best when experienced live in-person.

“Katowice has been the birthplace of dozens of champions, and Spodek Arena has witnessed countless iconic moments over the years – it's where Counter-Strike truly took a massive leap.”

ESL are bringing the Pro League play-offs back to a live arena setting, and that decision has been met with plenty of enthusiasm from fans across the eSports community.

It has been six years since fans experienced the energy of watching the Counter-Strike tournament live. They have been calling for it since the last arena play-offs in Odense, Denmark.

Katowice’s reputation as a global eSports hub will fuel what is guaranteed be a mouth-watering battle between the best CS2 teams in the world.

Betting on the Pro League in Poland

While players and teams get ready to showcase their skills on the biggest stage, fans across the eSports community will be gearing up to flood betting sites with wagers on the event.

Betting on eSports has become increasingly popular in recent years, and punters in Poland will be eager to go head-to-head with online bookmakers.

Several of the sportsbooks attached to blik online casino platforms offer odds on eSports events and they will offer extensive coverage of the ESL Pro League tournament.

Blik is one of the most popular digital payment platforms in Poland. It is renowned for fast and secure transactions, making it a perfect fit for bettors looking to wager on casino games and other verticals.

The Pro League Finals in Katowice could generate record engagement levels from Polish fans, both in terms of attendance at the Spodek Arena and online betting participation.

Placing bets on the tournament will be particularly appealing to younger bettors. Professional gaming has a massive following in Poland and they will be eager to wager on the Pro League event.

The global eSports betting market is hugely lucrative. Last year, the eSports industry was valued at over $11 billion, with betting making up a significant portion of fan engagement.

Analysts project that the eSports betting market will reach $3.5bn in the next four years, which would account for a nearly 40 percent increase from the current figures.

Counter-Strike is the crown jewel of eSports betting. More than half of all eSports bets worldwide were placed on CS2 matches last year.

Fans not only watch the games but also actively participate by wagering on outcomes, rounds and even in-game scenarios, making the viewing experience far more interactive.