Jared W. March 8, 2019
WINNERS League is returning for a second season with a bigger prize pool and a fresh expansion to North America.
WINNERS League Season 2 will distribute over $50,000 USD in prize winnings to some of the world’s best teams in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The competition will also be expanding beyond European borders for the first time, with invitational and open divisions now being made available in North America.
Players and teams are able to register for competition as of March 8, and play will begin internationally on April 2. Registration can be performed at the league’s official website.
WINNERS League is powered exclusively by the Faceit platform, one of the world’s largest platforms for competitive gaming tournaments.
WINNERS League Season 1 concluded in December 2018. Swedish team x6tence Galaxy claimed first place and the lion’s share of the inaugural season’s prize pool. The squad defeated Bulgaria’s Bpro Gaming in a three-game series. Other notable participants included x-kom Team, Nemiga Gaming, Vexed Gaming, and k1ck esports Club.
X6tence Galaxy’s road to the final was fraught, as the team went the distance with each of its four playoff opponents. Semifinalist Nemiga Gaming of Belarus came closest to knocking x6tence Galaxy off, opening their series against the eventual champions with a 16-2 win before x6tence Galaxy managed a reverse sweep with 19-16 and 16-14 map victories.
In addition to the teams returning to the European Invite division, competitors will now include some of the best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive talents in North America.
Beyond the Invite division, WINNERS League will also offer Starter and Main divisions. Starter divisions in both the European and North American regions are open enrollment and feature several thousand dollars in prizes. The new Main division will be exclusive to Europe in Season 2 and feature qualified teams. Invite division teams will be added via direct invitation from WINNERS League.