If you’re an esports fan, whether an avid admirer or just a casual enthusiast, you’re probably already raring to go for the upcoming year of 2024, looking to take home bragging rights about being able to pick out the best player or team from a sea of faces or show you’ve got killer instinct when it comes to which trophy will go to who. You’re going to want to be looking for the ultimate esports tournament to check out - and we’ve got you covered with a list of some of the best competitions, plus info about who’s going to be there and what games we’re likely to see take the spotlight! Let’s hit that “start” button, launch into the arena, and start firing some missiles in the world of esports tournaments.
IEM Katowice
Up close and personal already, with a starting date of January 31st, IEM Katowice is one to remember for all the fans of Counter-Strike - and with CS2 hitting our screens in late 2023, this tournament is guaranteed to make a real “bang” in the esports world! Oof, we can’t wait to get started and see how the terrorists and counter-terrorists are going to wipe each other out in the upcoming matches, and with the upgrades offered by CS2, we can pretty much guarantee this is going to be one incredible showing. There are going to be eight teams, with G2 Esports as the defending champions.
We’ll also be seeing the famous Complexity Gaming, Team Vitality, and FaZe Clan, and with that kind of lineup, it’s no wonder fans are holding their breath (triggers?), and audiences are already at the edge of their seats. We can hardly wait for this one to start! It’s generating a ton of buzz in the betting world too, since CS2 is a new beast with new claws - and a lot of people are dying to see how it will all unfold as the new weapons and new skins come out. If you’re thinking of plunging into the world of betting on tournaments for the first time, you might want to check out sites for esports bets - and if you’re a seasoned pro already, make sure you don’t miss this opportunity to line your wallet while watching the gamers compete!
Six Invitational
Another upcoming tournament, Six Invitational is generating global buzz and we’re at the edge of our seats (okay, we will be as soon as IEM Katowice hits “game over”) waiting to see how it’s going to unfold. The Six Invitational Champions are Europe’s G2 Esports, and they’re going to be looking to hang onto that trophy as tight as they can. We’re also likely to see DarkZero Esports, which recently welcomed Beaulo back from retirement, to the excitement of many fans - and probably w7m esports, Virtus.pro, and possibly FaZe Clan.
Everyone’s dying to see who’s going to take home bragging rights this year, and bets are mostly on a champion being from North America, Brazil, or Europe - though some Japanese and UAE teams are looking strong too, giving bettors plenty to speculate on!
League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational
Hands up who’s waiting for LoL to take up its position? It’s easy to get so excited about the
upcoming tournaments that you forget what’s coming next - but we’ve got to think a bit more long-term than that! If you glance further into the year, you’ll see League of Legends patiently waiting its turn. After all, it’s got no need to rush; it consistently takes the lead as one of the biggest esports out there, and nobody’s complaining. This tournament will hail the conclusion of regional LoL circuits and let us gather together to watch the best of the best fight for supremacy- in China, this year.
Riot has already announced a few changes in anticipation of this, including that the winner of this tournament will have an automatic qualification for Worlds - which totally makes sense. The defending champions JD Gaming are going to be looking to capitalize on that if they manage to qualify, and many fans are already screaming their names in excitement as they wait for the screen to load and the fun to begin.
VALORANT Champions
There’s not a whole lot of info out about this much-awaited tournament yet (keep your eyes peeled) but we’d be remiss not to at least mention it, and the VALORANT fans might be out for our blood. After all, VALORANT took home the 2023 Esports Game of the Year - which is nothing to sneeze at!
It’s expected that it will leap onto the scene sometime toward the end of the summer, perhaps in August or September, and we’re all dying to see whether Evil Geniuses (the defending champions) will manage to hold their title - assuming that they compete. We can’t wait to see what’s coming next for this competition, so keep your senses sharp and your gaze on the screen!