We are thrilled to announce that the first two teams invites to ESL One Cologne 2018 powered by Intel are no other than last year’s grand finalists: Cloud9 and SK Gaming! The two powerhouses will be joined by 14 other teams from around the world to compete for a prize pool of US$300,000 in the LANXESS Arena this coming July.

Cloud9 have very recently made history becoming the first North American team to win a CS:GO Major. In the playoffs, they defeated G2 Esports in the quarterfinals, and proceeded to take down SK Gaming in the semis. It all came down to a grand final against the biggest favorites to the tournament, FaZe Clan. The series was a nail-biter from the very first to the very last rounds, with the third and final map going to overtime and probably causing a health hazard to many of those watching. In the end, Cloud9 came through and took down the European super team, becoming Major champions and making a great mark in CS:GO history.

Last year, Cloud9 finished second at ESL One Cologne having defeated Ninjas in Pyjamas and Natus Vincere in the playoffs, but falling to SK Gaming in the grand final. Will they manage to go all the way and lift the trophy this year?

SK Gaming have lifted the ESL One Cologne trophy in 2016 and 2017, and are now returning yet again to defend their title. The Brazilians have been one of the world’s best teams for quite some time now, and are among the favorites to win any tournament they compete in. Their most recent results include third place at cs_summit, top 4 in the Boston Major, as well as first place finishes at ESL Pro League Season 6 finals and BLAST Pro Series. SK Gaming are always a team to be reckoned with and we cannot wait to see how they will perform in the cathedral of Counter-Strike.

Get ready for Cologne

Tickets to the event are available so be sure to join us for the world’s largest CS:GO tournament featuring the best teams and an unforgettable experience, all in the LANXESS Arena on July 6-8!

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