We’re delighted to announce that we, alongside Promod Esports, are joining forces with Insomnia the Gaming Festival for ESL Premiership Autumn 2023!

Following a unique format to accommodate a return to live finals, the ESL National Championship tournament for the UK & Ireland will provide new opportunities for teams to qualify for the first live Playoffs since 2019, which are set to take place on the Esports Stage at Insomnia the Gaming Festival in the NEC Birmingham, on September 8, 2023.

Running since 2015, the ESL Premiership is the longest-standing national league in the UK & Ireland and the highest national Counter-Strike division that provides amateurs, semi-professional and professional players alike with an opportunity to develop their skills and a chance to further advance within the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) ecosystem.

The ESL Premiership Autumn 2023 will see the eight best national teams battle it out for a share of the prize pool of  €15,000 (over £12,500),  the coveted title, and a spot in the ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 19 EU Pre-Qualifier

Teams can qualify for the upcoming ESL Premiership Autumn 2023 in the following events, including one open qualifier:

Closed Qualifiers #1

• August 4-6, 2023
• Online
• The eight best teams from the ESL Premiership Spring 2023 will be invited to face off in a Double-elimination bracket. Invitations have been sent to teams, more info to come.
• The first place advances to the Insomnia71 Playoffs on September 8th (more info below)

Closed Qualifiers #2

• August 11-13, 2023
• Online
• The seven remaining teams from Closed Qualifiers #1 will be invited to compete in a Double-elimination bracket.
• The first place advances to the Insomnia71 Playoffs on September 8th (more info below)

Open Qualifiers

• August 18-20, 2023
• Online
• Capped at 26 teams from Open Signups
• The six remaining teams from Closed Qualifiers #2 and a maximum of 26 teams from Open Signups (for a total of 32 teams) face off in a Double-elimination bracket.
• The top two teams advance to the Insomnia71 Playoffs.
• Sign up via FACEIT here

Insomnia71 LAN Party Last Chance Qualifiers

• September 7, 2023.
• In-person at NEC, Birmingham
• Teams attending the LAN party at Insomnia the Gaming Festival battle it out in a Swiss format to secure one of four spots in the Insomnia71 Playoffs.

Insomnia71 Playoffs

• September 8, 2023
• Live at NEC, Birmingham
• The eight qualified teams compete on the Esports Stage in front of a live audience in a Single-elimination bracket.
• Travel & accommodation to i71 for qualified teams provided by ESL.

“The partnership between the ESL Premiership, Promod Esports, and Insomnia the Gaming Festival represents a shared commitment to nurturing the growth of esports in the UK and Ireland,” said Shaun Clark, Senior Director Game Ecosystems CS:GO at ESL FACEIT Group. “We recognize the great potential of teams and players from the region as they showcased their skills on both national and international stages numerous times. It's exciting to see the likes of ITB.SHUFFLE compete in Tier 1 Counter-Strike tournaments like the Paris Major 2023 and IEM Cologne 2023, placing the region as a strong player on the esports map.”

“We are thrilled to be working with ESL at Insomnia71. Hosting the ESL National Championships gives players and fans an incredible opportunity to come together and immerse themselves in the thrill of in-person competition. We are looking forward to providing a platform for these extraordinary teams to captivate and inspire fans at this year’s festival, which is set to be the biggest weekend of esports in the UK.”  - Neil Gaisford, CEO, Insomnia

And yes, we’ll be playing Counter-Strike 2 - if it’s released in full by these dates.

For more information about the ESL Premiership Autumn 2023, please follow ESL UK on Twitter and visit Insomnia the Gaming Festival website.