Teams that wish to sign up for ETF2L Season 25 can visit ETF2L’s news post here for more info.

The format for the season will be the same as every season, with admins deciding to stick with the double elimination bracket for the Premiership playoffs. The whitelist for Season 25 will also be determined based on feedback by the community and the upcoming ETF2L 6v6 Preseason 25 Cup .

Teams from Season 24 Open & Mid that made it to the playoffs will be promoted to the next tier, though this is not guaranteed if a team has made roster changes that account for more than half of their players. Teams that also placed 35th to 42nd in the Mid division & 20th to 24th in the High division will be at risk of getting demoted to lower divisions. As for the Premiership, some teams will not be assured a spot in the division, and they will likely play in the Pre-Season Playoffs along with other teams to fight for a spot in the Premiership.

Team are free to signup for the league, with signups already open for all divisions, including Open, Mid, High, and the prestigious Premiership. Signups will close on September 8th at 21:00 CEST , but Premiership signups will close early on September 3rd at 21:00 CEST , largely due to the Pre-Season Premiership Playoffs. Teams that do wish to play in the Premiership are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible before the due date.

1 #1 marten 3 Frags – + Hyped! Hyped!

2 #2 adysky 32 Frags – + This is going to be the fastest eu shuffle ever This is going to be the fastest eu shuffle ever

3 #3 Twiggy 25 Frags – + Are coaches allowed? Are coaches allowed?

4 #4 Funs 5 Frags – + Twiggy Are coaches allowed? Part of me doesn't want them to be, but then the other part knows how gutting it would be for the i58 teams if it was suddenly decided coaches weren't allowed anymore, after they played against one. [quote=Twiggy]Are coaches allowed?[/quote]

Part of me doesn't want them to be, but then the other part knows how gutting it would be for the i58 teams if it was suddenly decided coaches weren't allowed anymore, after they played against one.

5 #5 damneasy 53 Frags – + pls no coaches pls no coaches

6 #6 Fuxx -45 Frags – + Coaches yes please. It only boosts the team-wise skill ceiling. (Especially for lolhl. Managing 8 other players while you yourself are also mid combat is NOT easy) Coaches yes please. It only boosts the team-wise skill ceiling.



(Especially for lolhl. Managing 8 other players while you yourself are also mid combat is NOT easy)

7 #7 3680962134679021 24 Frags – + Fuxx Coaches yes please. It only boosts the team-wise skill Yeah because having someone call for you makes things harder [quote=Fuxx]Coaches yes please. It only boosts the team-wise skill[/quote]

Yeah because having someone call for you makes things harder

8 #8 Bloodis 40 Frags – + As of now coaching will not be allowed in a way of how kaidus did it with Crowns in i58 through the additional plugin. However general coaching as in analyzing matches and giving out strats is all fine and will be allowed, as long as teams will have no more than 6 people in the servers during officials. We could look up on a way to allow coaching through the additional plugin as well in the future if both teams are fine with it, but it would be easier for everyone and for us to just deny it right out of the bat so we wouldn't have any huge debate over it like with the field of view issue 10 seasons ago. As of now coaching will not be allowed in a way of how kaidus did it with Crowns in i58 through the additional plugin. However general coaching as in analyzing matches and giving out strats is all fine and will be allowed, as long as teams will have no more than 6 people in the servers during officials.



We could look up on a way to allow coaching through the additional plugin as well in the future if both teams are fine with it, but it would be easier for everyone and for us to just deny it right out of the bat so we wouldn't have any huge debate over it like with the field of view issue 10 seasons ago.

9 #9 glitture 30 Frags – + friendly reminder that if we start doing this coaching thing we'll have to start sending teams of 7 players to lans friendly reminder that if we start doing this coaching thing we'll have to start sending teams of 7 players to lans

10 #10 Arie serveme.tf 82 Frags – + Allowing coaches for ETF2L matches would force every server owner to run the CompCtrl plugin (and Metamod+SourceMod), while currently a plain server without any plugins is sufficient. Also, if having coaches makes more teams play like Crowns, TF2 will be dead in a week. Zzzzzzz Allowing coaches for ETF2L matches would force every server owner to run the CompCtrl plugin (and Metamod+SourceMod), while currently a plain server without any plugins is sufficient.



Also, if having coaches makes more teams play like Crowns, TF2 will be dead in a week. Zzzzzzz

11 #11 DuMmTm 47 Frags – + Minor thing but matches at i58 had this 5 sec countdown between rounds that doesnt run down the map timer. I would like to see that return personally Minor thing but matches at i58 had this 5 sec countdown between rounds that doesnt run down the map timer. I would like to see that return personally

12 #12 TheWanderer 0 Frags – + Eeeh tbh coaches have their upsides and downsides. Upside is a good coach can keep the team focused and help them towards their goal of improving. The downside with the Kaidus way of doing it where the 7th man is just a caller basically seems like a cheap way of making up for the lack of a caller. I don't agree with the Kaidus way of doing it. It was used as a way to organise players who just could not get their act together as good as they are individually. Part of the point in competitive tf2 is to learn and adapt and if a team can't do that then unfortunately that is their downfall. If we have coaches then they should at least only be providing advice BEFORE and AFTER the match. Not maincalling for the team. The team must adapt and make a maincaller and then split the rest of the necessary calls accordingly. Almost like a KnoxXx and Numlocked way of doing it if people remember that. So ya that is my 50c. Also curious to see who the teams will be next season. Eeeh tbh coaches have their upsides and downsides. Upside is a good coach can keep the team focused and help them towards their goal of improving. The downside with the Kaidus way of doing it where the 7th man is just a caller basically seems like a cheap way of making up for the lack of a caller. I don't agree with the Kaidus way of doing it. It was used as a way to organise players who just could not get their act together as good as they are individually. Part of the point in competitive tf2 is to learn and adapt and if a team can't do that then unfortunately that is their downfall. If we have coaches then they should at least only be providing advice BEFORE and AFTER the match. Not maincalling for the team. The team must adapt and make a maincaller and then split the rest of the necessary calls accordingly. Almost like a KnoxXx and Numlocked way of doing it if people remember that. So ya that is my 50c. Also curious to see who the teams will be next season.

13 #13 Mercyless- 34 Frags – + It is already hard enough to find a medic for your team especially at the top level. Please don't burden teams with the necessity of finding a 7th player to be their maincaller boy to remain competitive. It is already hard enough to find a medic for your team especially at the top level. Please don't burden teams with the necessity of finding a 7th player to be their maincaller boy to remain competitive.

14 #14 Trotz21 4 Frags – + Mercyless- It is already hard enough to find a medic for your team especially at the top level. Please don't burden teams with the necessity of finding a 7th player to be their maincaller boy to remain competitive. Agreed, I have this feeling that this coach would also start counting ubers, only so the medic has one less thing to worry about while trying not to die. While this would be a great upside to coaching, it would take much less skill to be a top tier medic so I personally don't agree with this possibility either. [quote=Mercyless-]It is already hard enough to find a medic for your team especially at the top level. Please don't burden teams with the necessity of finding a 7th player to be their maincaller boy to remain competitive.[/quote]

Agreed, I have this feeling that this coach would also start counting ubers, only so the medic has one less thing to worry about while trying not to die.



While this would be a great upside to coaching, it would take much less skill to be a top tier medic so I personally don't agree with this possibility either.

15 #15 flushy 22 Frags – + One thing apart from coaching that surprisingly hasn't been talked about that much is the use of a pause for 'tactical' reasons. At lan it got to the point where people were pausing freely without fear of repercussion under protection by some bs excuse like 'mumble crashed', comon we've all used that one before. I don't want to single any team out, they were all as bad as each other. Let me clarify, I would be in favour of the use of a single 5 minute pause that can be used at the end of any round by a team so that they can reset or go over something that needs fixing, or perhaps you just want to kill the momentum of the opposing team. If there are any admins here reading this I would urge you to make clear when a pause is and isn't permitted, but as I said it'd be cool to maybe have one use of a tactical pause per map (CSGO style). One thing apart from coaching that surprisingly hasn't been talked about that much is the use of a pause for 'tactical' reasons. At lan it got to the point where people were pausing freely without fear of repercussion under protection by some bs excuse like 'mumble crashed', comon we've all used that one before. I don't want to single any team out, they were all as bad as each other.



Let me clarify, I would be in favour of the use of a single 5 minute pause that can be used at the end of any round by a team so that they can reset or go over something that needs fixing, or perhaps you just want to kill the momentum of the opposing team.



If there are any admins here reading this I would urge you to make clear when a pause is and isn't permitted, but as I said it'd be cool to maybe have one use of a tactical pause per map (CSGO style).

16 #16 WML 11 Frags – + I've seen this coach argument on like 5 threads now can we please stop because its scarring one of the closest TF2 tourneys ever. Also i'm hyped for this season after i58 can't wait to play ^_^ I've seen this coach argument on like 5 threads now can we please stop because its scarring one of the closest TF2 tourneys ever.



Also i'm hyped for this season after i58 can't wait to play ^_^

17 #17 hueless 5 Frags – + plz no coaches plz no coaches

18 #18 MattCV -4 Frags – + flushy One thing apart from coaching that surprisingly hasn't been talked about that much is the use of a pause for 'tactical' reasons. At lan it got to the point where people were pausing freely without fear of repercussion under protection by some bs excuse like 'mumble crashed', comon we've all used that one before. I don't want to single any team out, they were all as bad as each other.



Let me clarify, I would be in favour of the use of a single 5 minute pause that can be used at the end of any round by a team so that they can reset or go over something that needs fixing, or perhaps you just want to kill the momentum of the opposing team.



If there are any admins here reading this I would urge you to make clear when a pause is and isn't permitted, but as I said it'd be cool to maybe have one use of a tactical pause per map (CSGO style). Nah mate alle just needed a shit, we all knew who you are talking about.... crowns... [quote=flushy]One thing apart from coaching that surprisingly hasn't been talked about that much is the use of a pause for 'tactical' reasons. At lan it got to the point where people were pausing freely without fear of repercussion under protection by some bs excuse like 'mumble crashed', comon we've all used that one before. I don't want to single any team out, they were all as bad as each other.



Let me clarify, I would be in favour of the use of a single 5 minute pause that can be used at the end of any round by a team so that they can reset or go over something that needs fixing, or perhaps you just want to kill the momentum of the opposing team.



If there are any admins here reading this I would urge you to make clear when a pause is and isn't permitted, but as I said it'd be cool to maybe have one use of a tactical pause per map (CSGO style).[/quote]



Nah mate alle just needed a shit, we all knew who you are talking about.... crowns...

19 #19 Sideshow 13 Frags – + Alle paused to go have a shit? What Alle paused to go have a shit? What

20 #20 nobelharvards 4 Frags – + . .

21 #21 Funs 6 Frags – + MattCV Nah mate alle just needed a shit, we all knew who you are talking about.... crowns... Multiple times we had a team pause to kill our momentum, in some important games too. [quote=MattCV]

Nah mate alle just needed a shit, we all knew who you are talking about.... crowns...[/quote]

Multiple times we had a team pause to kill our momentum, in some important games too.

22 #22 Maax 1 Frags – + Looking forward to this! Looking forward to this!

23 #23 Ash_ 5 Frags – + Sideshow Alle paused to go have a shit? What There was a number of ... questionable pauses, especially during the grand final. [quote=Sideshow]Alle paused to go have a shit? What[/quote]



There was a number of ... questionable pauses, especially during the grand final.

24 #24 Setsul 4 Frags – + #15 ETF2L General Rules 3.9 Teams may request a pause if problems occur



Teams may request a pause at any time during a match. Reasons for pausing can include:



– Player drop



– Server problems



– The match is unplayable due to network issues



If you need to pause, you must clearly request a pause and give a reason for it (for example: “Pause please, player drop”). The other team is then required to pause at the first appropriate time (e.g. not in the middle of a push). Teams must pause within 15 seconds of being asked. Not responding to a pause request will lead to penalties like a minor warning accompanied with the forfeit of the round in question, or, in extreme cases, a major warning and forfeit of the map.



You may not resume the game under any circumstances without giving proper warning to the other team.



Each team has the right to one pause per map.



A pause may not last longer than 5 minutes.



If your opponent allows a pause longer than 5 minutes or more than one pause you are expected to extend the same courtesy to them. Killing the other teams momentum isn't nice but understandable.

Since you can't disprove the existence of network / pc / mumble issues anyway, especially not within 15 seconds while playing, which you would have to do, to be sure the round won't be forfeited, you can generally request one 5 minute pause per map as it is right now. #15

[quote=ETF2L General Rules]3.9 Teams may request a pause if problems occur



Teams may request a pause at any time during a match. Reasons for pausing can include:



– Player drop



– Server problems



– The match is unplayable due to network issues



If you need to pause, you must clearly request a pause and give a reason for it (for example: “Pause please, player drop”). The other team is then required to pause at the first appropriate time (e.g. not in the middle of a push). Teams must pause within 15 seconds of being asked. Not responding to a pause request will lead to penalties like a minor warning accompanied with the forfeit of the round in question, or, in extreme cases, a major warning and forfeit of the map.



You may not resume the game under any circumstances without giving proper warning to the other team.



Each team has the right to [b]one pause per map[/b].



A pause may [b]not last longer than 5 minutes[/b].



If your opponent allows a pause longer than 5 minutes or more than one pause you are expected to extend the same courtesy to them.[/quote]



Killing the other teams momentum isn't nice but understandable.

Since you can't disprove the existence of network / pc / mumble issues anyway, especially not within 15 seconds while playing, which you would have to do, to be sure the round won't be forfeited, you can generally request one 5 minute pause per map as it is right now.

25 #25 alle 24 Frags – + Ash_ Sideshow Alle paused to go have a shit? What

There was a number of ... questionable pauses, especially during the grand final. i was actually in extreme need of taking a piss and i went to the toilet as soon as we did pause. we used only 1 pause (i think?) in the entire grand final and it followed the rules (asking for a pause, and it was under 5 minutes etc). the team we played against did repeatedly pause, and this without asking for it before and also not asking if we were ready to play as they unpaused several times. just to clear things up regarding our teams perspective of that [quote=Ash_][quote=Sideshow]Alle paused to go have a shit? What[/quote]



There was a number of ... questionable pauses, especially during the grand final.[/quote]



i was actually in extreme need of taking a piss and i went to the toilet as soon as we did pause. we used only 1 pause (i think?) in the entire grand final and it followed the rules (asking for a pause, and it was under 5 minutes etc). the team we played against did repeatedly pause, and this without asking for it before and also not asking if we were ready to play as they unpaused several times.



just to clear things up regarding our teams perspective of that

26 #26 cirlo 4 Frags – + LUL one season ago we lacked of demos, and now ww we're full of teamless ones. Give alle, Dr Pill, Brego, Smirre and WAR (?) a team! LUL one season ago we lacked of demos, and now ww we're full of teamless ones. Give alle, Dr Pill, Brego, Smirre and WAR (?) a team!

27 #27 Hank94 4 Frags – + gg admins with 6 days time to put together a team and 3 days of witch was lan gg admins with 6 days time to put together a team and 3 days of witch was lan

28 #28 puddingkip 4 Frags – + http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=23898 did they ever do this before? Also smh valve, publishing an article on august 31 that says signups will close at august 29 but the article you link to says it will close on september 8... http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=23898



did they ever do this before? Also smh valve, publishing an article on august 31 that says signups will close at august 29 but the article you link to says it will close on september 8...

29 #29 Raptor00X 0 Frags – + One question, have the NA players looked at the whitelist from S25, whats the problem with it, why wouldn't you want to adapt it? This shouldn't sound like "wtf, why are you not using our whitelist" more like "what weapons do you think are not okay in our whitelist?" One question, have the NA players looked at the whitelist from S25, whats the problem with it, why wouldn't you want to adapt it? This shouldn't sound like "wtf, why are you not using our whitelist" more like "what weapons do you think are not okay in our whitelist?"