We are happy to announce Ninjas in Pyjamas as the sixth invited team to ESL One Cologne! Together with Na’Vi, Virtus.pro, SK Gaming, FaZe Clan, FNATIC and 10 other teams, NiP will battle it out this July for the coveted trophy and a share of the US$250,000 prize pool.
Cologne is a very special place for the Swedes. The unforgettable final match versus Fnatic at the ESL One Cologne 2014 Major gave NiP one of their biggest titles, and created one of the most iconic photos in esports history: Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund sitting on the big stage next to the trophy, in full emotion over his grand victory, being crowned a major champion.
But rise and fall does not hold back from any CS:GO legends. NiP have been facing some difficulties as of late. They lost their legend status at ESL One Cologne 2016 and failed to qualify for the ELEAGUE Major, making it the major in history without Ninjas in it.
NiP’s last big tournament victory was at IEM Oakland 2016, where they defeated SK Gaming 2-1 in the finals. Will we see Ninjas in Pyjamas rise again at ESL One Cologne 2017?
See you in Cologne!
We now know six teams confirmed for the event: Ninjas in Pyjamas, Natus Vincere, FNATIC, FaZe, Virtus.pro and SK. There are still 9 invites and 4 teams from qualifiers to go! Be sure to be among the roaring crowd that will once again fill LANXESS Arena - get your ticket here!
Remember to keep your eyes peeled to ESLCS on Twitter and Facebook for all updates about invited teams, qualifiers, and more.