ESL have revealed the group stage and playoffs format for IEM Katowice, which will see 16 teams in play from February 27-March 4.

Following the change of the number of teams participating at IEM Katowice from 12 to 16, ESL came up with a new format for their first tournament of 2018. The organizers also aim to run 16-team events "whenever it is feasible" in the future.

The group stage, scheduled for February 27-March 1, will be played in a different GSL format than we're used to in CS:GO, as this time there will be two groups of eight. The winner of each group will advance directly to semi-finals, while the other group's finalist and the top side from the lower bracket will earn tickets to quarter-finals. Only the first round of the group stage will feature best-of-one matches.

ESL's adjusted GSL format for IEM Katowice's group stage

A single-elimination playoffs bracket, played from March 2-4, will then follow as usual, with the two quarter-finals and semi-finals played in best-of-three series, while the grand final will feature a best-of-five series (which remains the same as at recent IEM stops).

IEM Katowice runs from February 27-March 4 and will have $500,000 on offer (a $200,000 increase from the last IEM stop in Oakland).