win.gg
Win.gg Counter-Strike WINNERS League expands and returns for second season

WINNERS League expands and returns for second season

Jared Wynne
Jared Wynne Published 08/03/2019

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.

Jared Wynne Jared Wynne
About Jared Wynne

Jared Wynne is the Editor-in-Chief at WIN.gg, overseeing its content. He has been working in digital media for over two decades, most often in and around the gaming industry. His all-time favorite games include Baldur’s Gate, Doom, and Counter-Strike, but he’ll play just about anything that seems interesting. His previous credits include The Daily Dot, The Esports Observer, GameLand, and more.

View full profile
Read Also
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Counter-Strike
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Counter-Strike
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Counter-Strike
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Owen Harsono If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Counter-Strike
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Owen Harsono In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Owen Harsono Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Esports Betting
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Owen Harsono IEM Cologne is one of Counter-Strike’s biggest events, happening every single year. Some seasons, the event is labeled as one of Valve’s two Counter-Strike Majors of the year, but if not, still stands as one of the big events every player chases to win. With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major right around the corner, let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out every single winner of the tournament, ...