ESL has announced that it will host a series of Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) events in Chicago, the first of which featuring $250,000 in prize money.

The announcement follows a three-year deal agreed between ESL and two Chicago venues, the United Center and the Wintrust Arena, to make the Midwestern city the new home for North American IEM events, succeeding Oakland.

The 2018 stop will take place at the Wintrust Arena, a 10,000-seat arena that opened last year, from November 10-11 before the event moves to the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls, for 2019 and 2020.

Chicago is the new home of IEM in North America

Astralis and FaZe headline the invite list for the North American competition, which will also feature six teams determined by online qualifiers, held in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

The first eight of ten invitees can be found below:

Registration for the open qualifiers is already open and can be done by clicking the links below:

Asia (one slot)

Dates: August 20-22

Register: Here

North America (two slots)

Dates: August 23-25

Register: Here

Europe (two slots)

Dates: August 23-25

Register: Here

South America (one slot)

Dates: August 29-31

Register: Here

ESL has also revealed the complete broadcast team for the event, which sees Alex "Machine" Richardson return to a desk host position after he was selected as a caster for the upcoming ESL One New York event. OJ Borg remains as stage host, with Anders Blume set to make his first appearance at an ESL tournament since Cologne 2017.

Below you can find the complete on-air team for the event:

OJ Borg - Stage Host

Alex "Machine" Richardson - Desk Host

Tres "stunna" Saranthus - Reporter

Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill - Analyst

Jacob "Pimp" Winneche - Analyst