How to watch IEM Sydney 2023: First CS2 tournament stream, start date

IEM Sydney 2023 is nearly upon us. The action in Sydney will kick off on Oct. 15, and the tournament marks the start of a new era: It’s the first serious professional CS2 tournament. Here’s all the information you need to know about how to watch.

Who is organizing IEM Sydney?

IEM Sydney is a part of the ESL Pro Tour, so ESL will be the organizer for the event. ESL has been to Sydney multiple times, and the stop is always noted for its high-energy crowd and brilliant display of Counter-Strike skill.

Where can I watch IEM Sydney?

Typically, ESL streams are broadcasted on both YouTube and Twitch in English, and through a variety of other broadcast partners in various languages. The English Twitch stream is available at twitch.tv/eslcs, and the YouTube stream will go live at youtube.com/eslcs. If two matches happen the same time, you can view them both by adding a “B” to the end of the YouTube and Twitch URL.

When does IEM Sydney start?

IEM Sydney’s group stage will begin on October 15, with Vitality vs BetBoom and FaZe vs GamerLegion beginning the competition. The group stages will run from Oct. 15 to Oct. 18, and the playoffs stage will run from Oct. 20 to Oct. 22.

Who is playing at IEM Sydney?

Teams at IEM Sydney qualified for the event in four different ways. Several teams qualified through being ESL Partner teams, others through qualifiers, others through the ESL World Ranking, and one Local Hero Invite featuring the equivalent of Australia’s national team. Here are the classifications for IEM Sydney:

Partner Teams:

• ENCE
• FaZe Clan
• G2 Esports
• MOUZ
• NAVI
• Team Vitality

World Ranking Qualifiers:

• Cloud9
• GamerLegion
• Monte
• Fnatic

Local Hero Invite:

• Grayhound Gaming

Qualifier Teams:

• Apeks – European Qualifier
• BetBoom Team – European Qualifier
• Complexity Gaming – North American Qualifier
• Lynn Vision Gaming – Asian Qualifier
• Vertex Esports Club – Oceanic Qualifier

What time does IEM Sydney start?

If you’re in North America, watching IEM Sydney will require several late nights.

The opening matches will begin at:

• 8:15 PM Central Time on Oct. 16
• 9:15 PM Eastern Time on Oct. 16
• 6:15 PM Pacific Time on Oct. 16