CS:GO fans get more critical matches in new ESL Pro League with extra underdog teams
ESL is introducing some major changes to the ESL Pro League starting with season 17, which is scheduled to begin in January 2023.
The organizer is expanding the number of teams in the group stage from 24 to 32. In season 17, 11 squads will qualify from the conference stage, which will also be updated but will cease to exist from season 18 onward. The group stage itself will see a completely new format, while the qualifying setup for season 18 and the following seasons will also see some significant changes.