IEM Melbourne 2025 Schedule

Melbourne is set to host a major esports event as ESL brings IEM Melbourne 2025 to Australia. This marks a return to the city for top-tier Counter-Strike competition after the cancellation of a planned event in 2020.

Rod Laver Arena will welcome 16 elite teams from around the globe for a week of high-level gameplay. Fans can look forward to following updates on schedules, team participation, standings, and viewing options as the event unfolds.

Structure and Teams for IEM Melbourne 2025

The IEM Melbourne 2025 event gathers sixteen of the leading CS2 teams, each earning their place through VRS rankings as determined early in the year. The competition kicks off with these sixteen squads divided into two equal groups. Each group faces a double-elimination bracket, commonly referred to as the GSL system, designed to give teams multiple chances to progress.

In the group stage:

• Each group has eight teams
• Matches operate in a double-elimination format
• All encounters are best-of-three

Three teams from each group will move forward to the arena stage. Specifically, the two teams that come out on top in the upper bracket compete for a direct trip to the semifinals, but only the winner advances directly—while the runner-up, along with the lower bracket winner, enter the quarterfinals.

Once at the arena:

• The final six play a single-elimination bracket
• Quarterfinals and semifinals are best-of-three
• The grand final is played as a best-of-five
• The first-place team secures a $125,000 prize

Notable participants include FaZe Clan, who previously won IEM Sydney 2023; Team Liquid, representing local talent with player Justin „jks“ Savage; and FlyQuest as the home crowd’s hopeful.

Teams attending include:

• Team Vitality
• Team Liquid
• paiN Gaming
• The MongolZ
• FlyQuest
• FaZe Clan
• Natus Vincere
• MOUZ
• Team Falcons
• Virtus.pro
• GamerLegion
• 3DMAX
• MIBR
• BIG
• SAW
• Complexity

IEM Melbourne 2025 schedule, results, and standings

Group Match Timetable and Outcomes

The group matches are set according to CEST (UTC+2). Early rounds featured FaZe overcoming paiN and Complexity narrowly securing a win against MongolZ. MOUZ battled past BIG, while GamerLegion took a clean victory over 3DMAX. Team Vitality swept FlyQuest and Team Liquid clinched a close result over Virtus.pro.

Live action saw Falcons winning decisively against SAW, and Natus Vincere and MIBR ending in a draw. Key elimination matches in the lower bracket included BIG meeting 3DMAX and paiN facing Complexity; in both cases, the loser was set to exit the event.

Additional fixtures involved matches like MOUZ against GamerLegion and FaZe versus MongolZ in the upper side. FlyQuest met Virtus.pro and SAW competed with MIBR in critical lower bracket confrontations. Falcons faced Natus Vincere, while Vitality and Liquid squared off.

As the brackets advanced, lower bracket finals decided who would remain in the competition, with upper bracket winners heading to the semifinals. Quarterfinal spots depended on these crucial outcomes.

Knockout Rounds

The playoff stage follows a traditional elimination format. Each match increases in importance, with the best-of-five grand final scheduled to determine the champion. The ultimate round will pit the two remaining teams against each other, with the winner claiming the top prize and title.

Team Rankings and Prize Breakdown

Standings reflect the performance and placement of each contender, alongside corresponding prize allocations:

Prize money reflects the scale and competitiveness of the event.