The Group Stage of the 2025 Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice has concluded, solidifying the six teams that will battle for a share of the $1 million (~£798,700) prize pool.
As one of Counter-Strike’s most prestigious tournaments, IEM Katowice sets the competitive tone for the year ahead. With the Playoffs approaching, all eyes are on the Spodek Arena in Poland to see which team will claim victory.
Playoffs Teams Confirmed
The Group Stage featured two double-elimination groups, seeded from the Play-In stage. Only the top three teams from each group advanced, reducing the field to just six squads for the Playoffs.
Below is a breakdown of the teams that made it through and their journey to this stage of the tournament.
Team Vitality
Roster: Dan ‘Apex’ Madesclaire, Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut, William ‘mezzi’ Merriman, Shahar ‘flameZ’ Shushan, Robin ‘ropz’ Kool.
Team Vitality dominated Group A, showing why they were favorites. Their path to the Playoffs included victories over 3DMAX and FaZe Clan before facing Virtus.pro in the upper-bracket final. ZywOo delivered an incredible 32-kill performance, leading his team to a clean 2-0 win and securing their spot in the next stage.
Team Vitality (image via Getty)Virtus.pro
Roster: Evgeniy ‘FL1T’ Lebedev, Petr ‘fame’ Bolyshev, Denis ‘electroNic’ Sharipov, Kaisar ‘ICY’ Faiznurov, Timur ‘FL4MUS’ Maryev.
Virtus.pro proved their resilience in Group A, taking down G2 Esports and Eternal Fire on their way to qualification. While their run was halted by Team Vitality, the squad’s consistent approach and strong performances from newcomers FL4MUS and ICY ensured their place in the Playoffs.
Eternal Fire
Roster: İsmailcan ‘XANTARES’ Dörtkardeş, Engin ‘MAJ3R’ Küpeli, Ali Haydar ‘Wicadia’ Yalçın, Özgür ‘woxic’ Eker, Özgür ‘jotAAA’ Eker.
Despite being a relatively new force in the Counter-Strike 2 scene, Eternal Fire continues to prove itself. The team’s recent success, including second-place finishes at ESL Pro League Season 20 and BLAST Bounty Spring 2025, set them up for success. Their Playoff ticket was punched after a critical victory over FaZe Clan.
Eternal Fire (image via Getty)The Mongolz
Roster: Garidmagnai ‘bLitz’ Byambasuren, Sodbayar ‘Techno4K’ Munkhbold, Usukhbayar ‘910’ Banzragch, Azbayar ‘Senzu’ Munkhbold, Ayush ‘mzinho’ Batbold.
The Mongolz delivered a strong showing in Group B, eliminating GamerLegion in a dominant 2-0 fashion. Their performance included a 13-10 win on Nuke and a 13-5 victory on Mirage, with bLitz leading the charge with 38 kills. Prior to that, they also took down Team Liquid in a tough 2-1 battle. Ranked third globally, The Mongolz entered the Playoffs as a serious threat despite falling to NAVI in the Group Stage.
Natus Vincere (NAVI)
Roster: Valerij ‘b1t’ Vakhovsjkyj, Aleksi ‘Aleksib’ Virolainen, Justinas ‘jL’ Lekavičius, Mihai ‘iM’ Ivan, Ihor ‘w0nderful’ Zhdanov.
NAVI’s Group B journey began in the upper bracket, where they took down FURIA, Team Spirit, and then The Mongolz in a convincing 2-0 victory. Their commanding performances included a 13-3 win on Mirage and a 13-9 result on Ancient. B1t delivered 35 kills in the match, showcasing NAVI’s strength. After winning PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 and the Esports World Cup, they enter the Playoffs in excellent form.
Team Spirit
Roster: Leonid ‘chopper’ Vishnyakov, Boris ‘magixx’ Vorobyev, Myroslav ‘zont1x’ Plakhotja, Dmitriy ‘sh1ro’ Sokolov, Danil ‘donk’ Kryshkovets.
Team Spirit has been a powerhouse leading up to IEM Katowice. Their first-place finishes at Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 and BLAST Bounty Spring 2025 cemented them as one of the top teams. However, Group B presented challenges—they started strong in the upper bracket but fell to NAVI. After a comeback run with wins over Team Liquid and GamerLegion, they secured the last Playoff spot.
IEM Katowice 2025 Finals Schedule
Fans eager to watch the Playoffs unfold can follow the schedule below:
- February 7th – Quarterfinals begin at 3:45 PM PST / 11:45 PM GMT.
- February 8th – Semifinals start at 3:45 PM PST / 11:45 PM GMT.
- February 9th – Grand Final begins at 5 PM PST / 1 AM GMT.
There are multiple ways to tune in. The official streams are available on Faceit’s website, offering live chat and in-depth statistics. ESL’s Twitch channels will provide full coverage, and an official YouTube stream will also be available.
With these six teams ready to battle for Counter-Strike supremacy, IEM Katowice 2025 is shaping up to be an unforgettable event. The competition will be fierce, and only one team will walk away with the trophy and the lion’s share of the prize pool.
