OpTic vs. Astralis headlines opening day at IEM Katowice

With about two weeks until IEM Katowice begins, the tournament’s schedule has been released.

The competition will begin with group play, as two six-team groups play round robin matches to determine who will advance to the playoffs in hopes of capturing the majority share of $250,000.

The 12 teams competing in this event are as follows:

• Astralis (Invitation)
• Cloud9 (Invitation)
• FaZe Clan (Invitation)
• Fnatic (EU Qualifier)
• Heroic (EU Qualifier)
• Immortals (NA Qualifier)
• Natus Vincere (EU Qualifier)
• Ninjas in Pyjamas (Invitation)
• North (Invitation)
• OpTic Gaming (Invitation)
• SK Gaming (Invitation)
• Virtus.pro (Invitation)

The games will kick off on March 1 at 11 a.m. CET (5 a.m. EST), with OpTic Gaming taking on ELEAGUE major champions, Astralis, as well as the reunited Fnatic playing Ninjas in Pyjamas.

The full match schedule for the five days of action is as follows, with all times being in Central European Time (UTC +1).

Wednesday, March 1

• 11:00 a.m. – OpTic Gaming vs. Astralis
• 11:00 a.m. – Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Fnatic
• 12:15 p.m. – Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Astralis
• 12:15 p.m. – FaZe Clan vs. Immortals
• 1:30 p.m. – Optic Gaming vs. Immortals
• 1:30 p.m. – FaZe Clan vs. Fnatic
• 2:45 p.m. – Astralis vs. Immortals
• 2:45 p.m. – OpTic Gaming vs. Fnatic
• 4:00 p.m. – Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. FaZe Clan
• 4:00 p.m. – Astralis vs. Fnatic
• 5:15 p.m. – Ninjas in Pyjamas vs. Immortals
• 5:15 p.m. – OpTic Gaming vs. FaZe Clan
• 6:30 p.m. – Immortals vs. Fnatic
• 6:30 p.m. – FaZe Clan vs. Astralis
• 6:30 p.m. – OpTic Gaming vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas

Thursday, March 2

• 11:00 a.m. – Natus Vincere vs. Virtus.pro
• 11:00 a.m. – Cloud9 vs. SK Gaming
• 12:15 p.m. – Natus Vincere vs. SK Gaming
• 12:15 p.m. – North vs. Heroic
• 1:30 p.m. – North vs. Virtus.pro
• 1:30 p.m. – Cloud9 vs. Heroic
• 2:45 p.m. – SK Gaming vs. Heroic
• 2:45 p.m. – Cloud9 vs. Virtus.pro
• 4:00 p.m. – Natus Vincere vs. North
• 4:00 p.m. – SK Gaming vs. Virtus.pro
• 5:15 p.m. – Cloud9 vs. North
• 5:15 p.m. – Natus Vincere vs. Heroic
• 6:30 p.m. – Heroic vs. Virtus.pro
• 6:30 p.m. – North vs. SK Gaming
• 6:30 p.m. – Cloud9 vs. Natus Vincere

Friday, March 3

• 12:45 p.m. – TBD vs. TBD
• 4:35 p.m. – TBD vs. TBD

Saturday, March 4

• 12:30 p.m. – TBD vs. TBD
• 4:20 p.m. – TBD vs. TBD

Sunday, March 5

• 6:15 p.m. – TBD vs. TBD