ESL is working with Valve to host the second Counter-Strike Major of 2022 in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, Dexerto can reveal.
Sources have told Dexerto that there are tentative plans for an ESL Major, called IEM Rio Major, to be held from October 31 through November 13. If confirmed, the event will mark ESL’s return to Major hosting duties after the previous two events of this caliber were hosted by StarLadder and PGL.
In September, ESL announced that the IEM Rio Major was “under consideration with Valve for 2022”. The event was initially due to be held in May 2020 under the name of ESL One: Rio Major before being postponed and then canceled amid the global health crisis.
It is still unclear which venue is on ESL’s mind to host the Champions Stage of the IEM Rio Major. In 2020, the tournament’s playoffs were to be held in front of a live audience at the Jeunesse Arena, an indoor multi-purpose arena that hosted the 2017 League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational and the 2018 Rainbow Six Siege Season 8 Pro League finals.
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As reported by HLTV.org in May 2021, Valve is planning to hold two CS:GO Majors in 2022. The tournament operator of the first Major, scheduled for May 9-22, remains unclear.
The renaming of the Rio Major from ESL One to IEM comes after the “historic” renewal of ESL’s long-standing with Intel. As part of the new deal, which began in 2022 and will run up to IEM Katowice 2025, all non-league ESL Pro Tour circuit CS:GO tournaments will be held under the IEM brand.
