ESL One Cologne 2020 confirmed to take place without a live audience


Restriction on large gatherings confirms no live audience for ESL One Cologne in July, with IEM Melbourne 2021 rescheduled for next year 

Cologne, May 5th 2020: ESL, the world’s largest esports company, has today announced that the 2020 edition of ESL One Cologne will take place without a live audience from August 21-30, 2020. The company has also announced that Intel® Extreme Masters Melbourne 2020 will be rescheduled for 2021. 

In a joint announcement, ESL also unveiled dates for next year’s competitions – with ESL One Cologne 2021 to be held on July 16-18 in the LANXESS arena and IEM Melbourne 2021 scheduled to return on August 21-22 at the Rod Laver Arena.

ESL One Cologne 2020 will still take place as the ESL Pro Tour Masters Championship and as a broadcasted tournament, more details will be released in the upcoming weeks. ESL’s decision to make changes to this year’s esports calendar falls in line with current government restrictions on large gatherings in Germany and global travel as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. 

Purchased tickets to either ESL One Cologne or IEM Melbourne in 2020 will remain valid for the 2021 editions of the tournament. Fans will have refund options depending on point of purchase, and should visit the official IEM Melbourne or ESL One Cologne websites for more information on the process. Fans are also being encouraged to cancel any travel and accommodation bookings for both of these events. 

Further information on the tournament will be released at a later date once the best approach to ensure the safety of players, coaches, employees, and talent has been considered. Find all updates also on ESLCS and IEM on Twitter.

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About ESL

ESL is the world’s largest esports company. Founded in 2000, ESL has been shaping the industry across the most popular video games with numerous online and offline esports competitions. The company operates high profile, branded international leagues and tournaments under the ESL Pro Tour including ESL One, Intel® Extreme Masters, ESL Pro League, and other premier stadium-size tournaments, to more clearly define the path from zero to hero. ESL also produces the ESL National Championships, grassroots amateur cups, and matchmaking systems, creating a world where everybody can be somebody. With offices all over the world, ESL is leading esports innovation on a global scale through the combination of global ESL competitions, amateur leagues, publisher activations, and more. ESL is a part of MTG, the leading international digital entertainment group. eslfaceitgroup.com

ESL One – In ESL One, teams and players from all over the world compete in an esports tournament unlike any other. Featuring the games Dota 2 and Counter-Strike Global Offensive, ESL One gives out hundreds of thousands in prize money every year. With events taking place in stadiums all over the world, it puts the players in front of enthusiastic audiences, cheering them on in their attempt to secure the one trophy and the glory that comes with it. www.esl-one.com

Intel® Extreme Masters Intel® Extreme Masters is the longest-running global professional esports tournament circuit in the world. Started in 2006 by Intel and ESL, the competition has now traveled to over 30 cities around the globe and conducted tournaments for 11 different competitive gaming titles. Esports fans from more than 180 countries regularly make IEM events record-breakers in terms of stadium attendance and viewership, with the tournament’s inaugural event in Australia in May 2017 marking the fifth continent for the global competitive circuit. Throughout more than 75 IEM events, over US $11 million in prize money has been awarded to some of the world’s top esports talent (www.intelextrememasters.com).

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