As the dust settles over the Group Stage of ESL Pro League Season 21, the remaining eight Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports teams are ready to face off in the Playoffs. The ESL Studio venue in Stockholm, Sweden, is primed for action—and so are we!
Our comprehensive viewers’ guide to the ESL Pro League Season 21 Playoffs includes the schedule, format, prize pool distribution, matchups, official bracket, and expert betting predictions. Let’s get into it!
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ESL Pro League S21
ESL Pro League S21 Playoffs Schedule & Format
The ESL Pro League Season 21 Playoffs Stage runs from March 13 to 16, 2025. It’s the final stage of competition, where teams compete in a do-or-die single-elimination bracket. The Quarterfinals and Semifinals are best-of-three, and the Grand Final is best-of-five. There are no second chances, making the Playoffs that much more thrilling.
Prize Pool Distribution
The table below shows the ESL Pro League S21’s prize pool distribution, totaling $1 million. Note that the playoffs only feature the top eight teams, with the remaining 16 already reaching their final placement.
| Place | Prize Money | Club Reward |
| 1st | $100,000 | $150,000 |
| 2nd | $50,000 | $75,000 |
| 3rd/4th | $25,000 | $55,000 |
| 5th-8th | $18,000 | $40,000 |
| 9th-11th | $13,500 | $25,000 |
| 12th-14th | $10,500 | $10,000 |
| 15th/16th | $8,500 | $0 |
| 17th-19th | $6,500 | $0 |
| 20th-22nd | $4,500 | $0 |
| 23rd/24th | $3,000 | $0 |
| Total | $400,000 | $600,000 |
How To Watch ESL Pro League S21
At Thunderpick, you can watch all the ESL Pro League action live via our CS2 betting section. Simply click the “Live” tab and select the camera icon next to any match. An embedded live stream will appear, and you’ll see our bet slip on the right-hand side. You can also watch the event live on ESL’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
Teams Competing In ESL Pro League S21
Only eight teams made it through the Group Stage to earn spots in the Playoffs bracket. The Quarterfinals matchups for the event are based on performances in the Group Stage. Check out the absolute banger matchups kicking things off at ESL Studio in Stockholm.
- MOUZ vs. G2 Esports
- Team Spirit vs. Eternal Fire
- Team Vitality vs. Team Liquid
- The MongolZ vs. NAVI
You’ll find the official bracket and layout from ESL below.
Our Predictions For ESL Pro League S21
Let’s face it—all eight teams competing could take home the gold. The Playoffs bracket is stacked with the best in the business. And when they’re playing in front of a live crowd, anything can happen. Not only that, but they’re playing in a single-elimination format, where one mistake can result in elimination. All that said, we’ve taken on the challenge of picking
Important note: Our ESL Pro League Season 21 Playoffs betting predictions are based on current team and player form, recent matchups in the previous stages of the tournament, the HLTV World Rankings (March 10), and the Global Valve Ranking (March 11). We also looked closely at recent S-Tier results and matchups from PGL Cluj-Napoca and IEM Katowice 2025. Our analysis should not be considered betting advice to act upon. Past performances do not guarantee future results. Always gamble responsibly.
Team Vitality
So far at ESL Pro League Season 21, there have been three indications that Team Vitality is the top contender. First, the “Chosen One” (aka AWPer ZywOo) has rarely missed a shot. Secondly, Estonian rifler Robin “ropz” Kool is in fantastic form and has acclimated perfectly within the roster. Last but not least, Vitality’s IGL, apEX, has made hero-level rotation calls as if he had a crystal ball tucked away somewhere.
Although Team Vitality is ranked #2 by HLTV and Valve behind Team Spirit, we predict that apEX will lead his squad to victory. Need proof? This squad delivered a devastating 3-0 sweep against Team Spirit at IEM Katowice 2025’s Grand Final to lift that trophy this past February.
Team Vitality roster:
- Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
- Robin “ropz” Kool
- Shahar “flameZ” Shushan
- William “mezii” Merriman
- Dan “apEX” Madesclaire (IGL)
- Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam (Coach)
Team Spirit
Team Spirit is considered the best team in the world by all measurements, so it’s tough to justify this squad not making the podium. We predict that they’ll beat the Turkish side Eternal Fire in a close match and knock out defending champions MOUZ in the Semifinal. However, in the Grand Final, we think the squad will fall in a close match against Team Vitality.
Despite Team Spirit being ranked #1, the young squad has shown they have some weaknesses. Unless star rifler donk shows up and delivers a mind-blowing performance, the team may need to settle for a 2nd-place finish at this event.
Team Spirit roster:
- Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
- Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov
- Boris “magixx” Vorobyev
- Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotja
- Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov (IGL)
- Sergey “hally” Shavayev (Coach)
MOUZ
MOUZ flourished when young IGL Brollan led the charge with excellent calls and plays as the entry fragger to win PGL Cluj-Napoca with a 3-1 score over Team Falcons. PGL Cluj-Napoca was the most recent S-Tier CS2 event leading up to ESL Pro League Season 21, cementing MOUZ as one of the favorites.
As the defending champions for both Season 19 and 20, the squad’s presence at ESL Pro League events is without question. While we don’t predict MOUZ will win three in a row, we also can’t count them out.
MOUZ roster:
- Ádám “torzsi” Torzsás
- Dorian “xertioN” Berman
- Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo
- Lotan “Spinx” Giladi
- Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin (IGL)
- Dennis “sycrone” Nielsen (Coach)
The MongolZ
Our bold prediction: The MongolZ will eliminate NAVI. While it’s true that NAVI won all three maps in previous matches, The MongolZ have shown promise. The team scored nine rounds on Ancient at IEM Katowice 2025, which was the last time these two teams faced off.
On the flip side, NAVI has been slightly unstable during this season of the ESL Pro League. They lost 2-1 to underdogs SAW in the opening Group Stage map and then lost the first map (Inferno) against another underdog, TYLOO.
The MongolZ currently boasts excellent form, beating G2 Esports with a dramatic reverse sweep in the Group Stage. The Mongolian squad’s hunger for victory and big-match temperament make us believe they can beat NAVI to claim a spot in the Semifinals of ESL Pro League Season 21.
The MongolZ roster:
- Sodbayar “Techno4K” Munkhbold
- Usukhbayar “910” Banzragch
- Ayush “mzinho” Batbold
- Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold
- Garidmagnai “bLitz” Byambasuren (IGL)
- Erdenedalai “maaRaa” Bayanbat (Coach)
Who Will Lift The Trophy In Stockholm?
With amazing matchups so far and now a stacked Playoffs, ESL Pro League Season 21 has been one heck of a ride. And no matter who you’re backing in the Playoffs, the intensity should be off the charts. Stay locked in for every clutch play and game-changing strat right here at Thunderpick. And if you’re looking to add some extra excitement, check out our CS2 betting section for the latest odds.
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