- EPL Season 23 Stage 1 overview
- How to watch EPL S23 Stage 1 stream
- EPL S23 Stage 1 schedule and format
- CS2 skins, drops and enjoying EPL
- Six key teams to watch in Stage 1
- EPL S23 Stage 1 results and matchups
- What happens after Stage 1
- Final thoughts on EPL S23 Stage 1
EPL Season 23 Stage 1 overview
ESL Pro League Season 23 kicks off a new era of Counter-Strike 2 competition. Instead of jumping straight into a big LAN group stage, EPL S23 starts with an online Swiss phase that gives lower-seeded squads a real chance to upset established giants.
Stage 1 brings together 16 teams fighting for just 8 spots in Stage 2, where some of the world's strongest CS2 lineups are waiting. Every match is a best-of-three, every round matters, and a few key rosters stand out as must-watch stories if you care about the future of top-tier CS2.
Below is a complete breakdown of how to watch, when to tune in, which teams to keep an eye on, and how Stage 1 feeds into the rest of the EPL S23 season.
How to watch EPL S23 Stage 1 stream
All ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1 matches are streamed on ESL's official channels. If you want the cleanest experience with pro-level production, these are your go-to options:
- YouTube: ESL Counter-Strike main channel streams full series, VODs, and highlights.
- Twitch: Multiple live streams cover simultaneous matches on different broadcast feeds.
You can catch Stage 1 action on ESL's official platforms:
Alongside the main broadcast, expect community watch parties, co-streams from popular personalities, and regional coverage in various languages, especially for the bigger brands like G2, Liquid, and Astralis.
EPL S23 Stage 1 schedule and format
EPL Season 23 Stage 1 starts on March 1 and runs through five Swiss rounds. The system is simple but brutal:
- Format: Swiss System, best-of-three matches.
- Record to advance: 3 wins (3–0, 3–1, or 3–2).
- Record for elimination: 3 losses (0–3, 1–3, or 2–3).
- Teams: 16 squads starting in Stage 1.
- Slots for Stage 2: 8 teams advance.
Swiss means teams with the same win–loss record face each other each round. In other words, there are no easy runs: if you start hot, you quickly run into other in-form squads; if you start cold, your season can snowball out of control.
EPL S23 Stage 1 Day 1 schedule (opening matches)
The first day sets the tone with a stacked lineup of matchups split across two main streams. Here are the starting times and opening pairings (all times approximate and subject to broadcast adjustments):
- 11:30 a.m. CET / 5:30 a.m. ET
- Stream A: HEROIC vs NRG
- Stream B: PARAVISION vs SemperFi
- 2:00 p.m. CET / 8:00 a.m. ET
- Stream A: G2 vs Gladiators
- Stream B: Astralis vs Monte
- 4:30 p.m. CET / 10:30 a.m. ET
- Stream A: NiP vs Legacy
- Stream B: FUT vs M80
- 7:00 p.m. CET / 1:00 p.m. ET
- Stream A: Liquid vs Passion UA
- Stream B: 3DMAX vs paiN Gaming
This first wave already gives you a good picture of how the field might shape up. Legacy, Liquid, and Astralis all face dangerous opposition right away, while PARAVISION and G2 are under pressure to prove that their recent pedigree isn't just a short hot streak.
CS2 skins, drops and enjoying EPL
Big CS2 tournaments aren't just about the matches. For many fans, events like EPL are also when you get inspired to refine your inventory, show off a cleaner loadout on FACEIT, or finally upgrade that default AK.
While watching EPL S23, you might want to:
- Match your favorite pro's loadout, at least on a budget version.
- Build team-themed skin sets around lineups like G2, Liquid, or Astralis.
- Flip low-tier skins into something more iconic as the hype around CS2 grows.
If you want to safely trade or upgrade during the season, you can browse a wide range of cs2 skins and compare prices outside the in-game market. A lot of players use external marketplaces to:
- Find cheaper alternatives to popular meta skins.
- Cash out unused cosmetics before buying fresh ones.
- Experiment with different looks without being locked into Steam balance.
If you still have some older csgo skins you don't care about anymore, it can also be a good time to move them and rotate into CS2-focused cosmetics. EPL seasons always bring new eyes and new demand to the market, so timing trades with big events can be smart.
Six key teams to watch in Stage 1
Plenty of squads in this Stage 1 pool are capable of making a run, but six of them stand out for different reasons: consistency, star power, chaos factor, or recent roster changes. Here's why you should follow them closely.
G2 Esports
Seeing G2 start from Stage 1 feels strange given their name value and recent results. This is a roster that still shows top-tier potential, including a strong top-six finish at IEM Kraków 2026, even if they failed to go deep at every event.
G2's biggest selling point is obvious: firepower. On their best days, their stars can completely take over a series and erase any structural mistakes. Stage 1, being online and best-of-three, is designed for teams like this to blast through the field with raw aim and solid mid-round calling.
Storylines to watch with G2 in Stage 1:
- Do they treat Stage 1 as a warm-up or as a statement?
- Can they avoid the classic slow starts and close-map scares vs underdogs?
- How comfortable do they look on the new CS2 meta maps in a grind-heavy Swiss setting?
On paper, G2 should make Stage 2 with a 3–0 or 3–1 run. If they struggle here, that will raise serious questions ahead of the LAN portion of EPL.
PARAVISION
PARAVISION arrive at EPL S23 Stage 1 with a lot more respect than their seeding suggests. They're still sometimes labeled as underdogs, but their BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 championship and a grand final appearance at PGL Cluj-Napoca are not flukes.
The main question for PARAVISION now is consistency. When they are in form, they look like a top contender that can battle anyone at LAN. When things go wrong, they show some of the classic issues of rising squads: over-aggression, shaky closing, and emotional swings.
Why you should watch PARAVISION:
- They have an aggressive, proactive style that looks great in CS2's faster pacing.
- They thrive in chaotic mid-rounds, which suits online Swiss play nicely.
- Stage 1 is a perfect testing ground to prove that their deep runs were not just hot streaks.
If PARAVISION dominate Stage 1, bookmakers and analysts will likely move them out of the “dark horse” category and into genuine trophy conversations for the rest of the season.
Legacy
Legacy enter EPL S23 in something of a transition phase. They benched Lucas "lux" Meneghini and brought in Andrei "arT" Piovezan as the new in-game leader, a move that instantly changes the identity of any team.
arT is famous for his ultra-aggressive calling and willingness to take risks, which historically gave Brazilian CS some of its most entertaining moments — and some of its most painful early exits. So far, the change hasn't produced instant success, which makes Stage 1 incredibly important for this roster.
Context for Legacy heading into this event:
- They claimed titles like the CS Asia Championships in 2025, proving they can win international events.
- Results have cooled off since, placing them in the “prove it” tier rather than locked-in favorites.
- Online stages are where new IGL systems either click or fall apart under pressure.
For Brazilian Counter-Strike fans, Legacy's performance matters beyond just this bracket. Alongside paiN Gaming, they're a big part of the argument that Brazil's CS2 scene isn't defined by just one organization. A strong run in Stage 1 would go a long way toward reinforcing that narrative.
Team Liquid
Team Liquid is one of the most storied brands in CS history, but in CS2, they're still trying to find a stable identity. Their recent results paint a wildly inconsistent picture:
- Top-eight finish at BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 — respectable, and sometimes impressive.
- Middling placement around the top 20 at IEM Kraków 2026 — clearly below their ambitions.
When you watch Liquid in Stage 1, you're not just watching their mechanics — you're watching for structure and mental resilience. They have the individual level to blow teams away, but the question is whether they can string together enough clean maps in a Swiss format without self-destructing.
Key things to watch from Liquid during Stage 1:
- How well their mid-round calling adapts to CS2's different timings and smoke mechanics.
- Whether star players can consistently deliver against both tier-one names and hungry underdogs.
- How they handle pressure if they start 0–1 or 1–2 in the Swiss system.
Liquid vs Passion UA as an opening match is also a good early test: on paper, Liquid should be favored, but Stage 1 is exactly where ambitious challengers look to make their names.
Astralis
Astralis in CS2 is a very different beast from the legendary CS:GO dynasty. The organization made big moves, parting ways with icons like Emil "Magisk" Reif and Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz and rebuilding around a new core, including rising talents such as Gytis "ryu" Glušauskas.
The result? A rollercoaster performance graph:
- They failed to reach the main stage at BLAST Bounty Winter 2026.
- They bounced back with a top-eight finish at IEM Kraków 2026, hinting at serious potential.
Stage 1 is where we find out whether Astralis' recent highs are the start of a trend or just a temporary spike. With a best-of-three Swiss, they can't rely on one-map surprises; they have to show depth and composure across multiple maps.
Astralis storylines to follow:
- How quickly the new roster settles into a stable map pool.
- Whether their young pieces can perform in pressure series against ambitious teams.
- If they can avoid the kinds of slow starts that put them on the edge of elimination early.
Any deep Astralis run at EPL is huge not only for their fans but for the broader Danish scene, which is always under the spotlight in Counter-Strike.
3DMAX
3DMAX are not always in the conversation as title contenders, but they almost always deliver fun-to-watch Counter-Strike. Their style leans toward fearless aggression: fast hits, explosive entries, and a willingness to take duels that more conservative teams might avoid.
This worked well for them through much of 2025, where their high-tempo approach often caught bigger names off guard. However, their first outings in 2026 have been less convincing, suggesting teams are adapting to their tendencies — or that 3DMAX need to refresh their playbook for CS2's evolving meta.
Why 3DMAX are one of the most entertaining Stage 1 squads:
- They can turn almost any map into a brawl, which is perfect for viewers.
- Their aggressive style naturally leads to highlight plays and rapid momentum swings.
- In a Swiss format, one or two upsets from a team like this can completely reshape the bracket.
Keep an eye on how they handle more structured teams that are ready with counter-aggression, especially in their matchup against paiN Gaming and any future win-or-go-home series.
EPL S23 Stage 1 results and matchups
All Stage 1 matches are best-of-three, and the win–loss record of each team determines their next opponent. As results come in, the Swiss system automatically builds the bracket for upcoming rounds.
Below is an overview of how the rounds are structured and what we know from the initial schedule.
Round 1 matchups
Round 1 sets the stage for the entire Swiss run. Teams with similar seedings face off, and the winners move to the 1–0 bracket, while the losers drop to 0–1.
Round 1 pairings:
- HEROIC vs NRG
- PARAVISION vs SemperFi
- G2 vs Gladiators
- Astralis vs Monte
- NiP vs Legacy
- FUT vs M80
- Liquid vs Passion UA
- 3DMAX vs paiN Gaming
None of these are elimination games, but the tone they set is massive. Teams starting 0–1 are immediately under pressure, especially organizations with high expectations like Liquid, Astralis, or G2.
Round 2 matchups
Round 2 splits the field into 1–0 matches and 0–1 matches. Winners of their opening games play each other, and losers do the same. Specific pairings will depend on Round 1 results, but the structure looks like this:
- Four series between 1–0 teams (chance to go 2–0).
- Four series between 0–1 teams (fighting to avoid 0–2).
Officially, these appear in the schedule as:
- 1–0 matches:
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- 0–1 matches:
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
Teams that go 2–0 in this round will have three shots (Rounds 3–5) at getting that third win and securing a Stage 2 berth.
Round 3 matchups
Round 3 is where the real drama kicks in. The field now splits into 2–0, 1–1, and 0–2 records. Each category has its own stakes:
- 2–0 matches: Winners qualify directly for Stage 2 with a 3–0 record.
- 1–1 matches: Teams battle to stay in the safe middle; win and you go 2–1, lose and you drop to 1–2.
- 0–2 matches: Elimination series; lose and you're out of EPL S23 Stage 1.
The official schedule format lists them as:
- 2–0 matches:
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- 1–1 matches:
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- 0–2 matches:
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
By the end of Round 3, some teams will already be safely through, while others will be packing their bags. Expect at least one surprise elimination here — Swiss formats often punish slow starters.
Round 4 matchups
Round 4 is made up of 2–1 matches and 1–2 matches:
- 2–1 matches: Winners hit 3–1 and qualify for Stage 2.
- 1–2 matches: Elimination games; losers drop to a final 1–3 record and are out.
The Round 4 layout from the schedule:
- 2–1 matches:
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- 1–2 matches:
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
Teams that lose in the 2–1 group get one last chance in Round 5, while those who win in the 1–2 pool survive to a do-or-die finale. This is usually where veteran teams with experience in long tournaments show their composure.
Round 5 matchups
Round 5 is simple and brutal: it's all about the 2–2 matches. Every remaining team has two wins and two losses; they either secure the last slots for Stage 2 or get eliminated right on the finish line.
The structure is:
- 2–2 matches:
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
- TBD vs TBD
These are some of the most intense series in any Swiss tournament. By this point, the teams know each other's tendencies from earlier rounds, the map pools are fully revealed, and mental fatigue becomes a real factor.
What happens after Stage 1
Once Stage 1 wraps up, the eight qualified teams join the top seeds that were waiting in Stage 2. Stage 2 also uses a Swiss format with best-of-three matches, but with a stronger overall field since favorites and in-form squads collide.
After Stage 2, the road leads to the LAN finals in Stockholm, Sweden, scheduled for March 13 to March 15. That's where the trophy will eventually be lifted in front of a live crowd.
As soon as EPL S23 finishes, the calendar barely slows down. Top CS2 teams will move almost directly into BLAST Open Spring 2026, running from March 18 to March 29. This compressed schedule means form momentum and fatigue management at EPL could have a direct impact on how rosters perform at BLAST.
Final thoughts on EPL S23 Stage 1
ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1 might be online, but it's far from a throwaway qualifier. With best-of-three Swiss, only eight out of sixteen squads survive, and that alone makes every round tense.
Whether you're tuning in for G2's firepower, PARAVISION's breakout story, Legacy's new IGL era, Liquid and Astralis chasing stability, or 3DMAX's reckless aggression, Stage 1 offers a great mix of styles and narratives.
Enjoy the matches, keep an eye on how the meta evolves, and if the pro play inspires you to refresh your own setup, browsing cs2 skins or rotating older csgo skins during the season can be a fun way to stay engaged with the scene while the road to Stockholm plays out.
