The IEM Katowice Minor Championships will take place at the ESL Arena in Katowice, Poland on 16-20 January and 22-26 January. One day after the Minors we will stage the IEM Katowice Minor Playoff to determine the last two teams to qualify for the Major’s Challenger Stage.

The tournament dates are as follows:

16-20 January: CIS and EU Minors

22-26 January: Asia and Americas Minors

27 January: the Minor Playoff

Minors have been paired in order to best match the games to the time zones that the teams playing are most relevant to. On the first week (Wednesday to Sunday), CIS will be the early Minor and Europe will be the late Minor. On the second week (Tuesday to Saturday), Asia will be the early Minor and Americas will be the late Minor.

The IEM Katowice Major will be the first Major where ten teams from the Minors qualify for the Challenger Stage instead of the usual eight. Teams placed 15-16 at the FaceIT London Major’s Legends Stage won’t be invited into the Challenger Stage. They will be replaced by the two best teams from the Minor Playoff.

The third place finishers of each Minor (four total, duh!) will meet in the Minor Playoff played on Sunday, January 27. The top two teams of the Minor Playoff will qualify for the IEM Katowice Major Challenger Stage.

The detailed schedule and tournament format of the Minors will be published at a later date.

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