The favorites to win IEM Katowice 2023 are a mix of stellar international talent with a dark horse reigning major champion.

DOVER, DE, UNITED STATES, February 4, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The favorites for IEM Katowice 2023 stand to win the lion’s share of $1 million in the capital of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

CSGO is returning to its hometown in February 2023, with 24 teams assembled to fight for a major-worthy prize pool. Katowice has become one of the most iconic events of every season, with nearly guaranteed blowups and upsets. However, one team will emerge from it all to claim the grand prize of $400,000.

G2 Esports among top favorites for IEM Katowice 2023

G2 Esports isn’t exactly the most stable team at the top level, but there’s a reason it's entering Katowice as the top seed. G2 is fresh off a massive championship at the BLAST World Finals, taking down Vitality, FaZe, and Liquid to win the Katowice-tier event. Just last week, G2 also defeated Natus Vincere 2-0 in the grand final of BLAST Spring Groups, team with the best CSGO player in the world, Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev. The mixed European team is on a tear, entering Katowice with a seven-match win streak.

While many teams could land on the podium at IEM Katowice 2023, G2 is definitely the frontrunner. Its direct qualification to the group stage further helps its chances. 17-year-old AWPER Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov is always the player to watch, with his fast-paced combat AWPing often coming in clutch. The team’s face Nikola "NiKo" Kovač is also a top-tier rifler, and his Desert Eagle doesn’t play around. G2 Esports’ explosive play style and stellar recent results make it one of the clear favorites to win IEM Katowice 2023.

FaZe Clan will be a podium contender in Katowice

FaZe Clan is dominating the esports world, and CSGO is no exception. The international team dominated the BLAST 2022 Leaderboard thanks to several high-profile championships, including the Antwerp Major. Bronze at the World Final was practically a disappointment, though the team quickly brought it back with a flawless run at Spring Groups. With a fast track to the playoffs and plenty of wind behind it, FaZe Clan will likely make a deep run at the IEM Katowice 2023 championship.

FaZe’s style is unique, with the squad bouncing back and forth between total lock-step CT setups and explosive moments of T-side stardom. Every player can shine, but Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken gets special mention for his remarkable spray-downs. FaZe isn’t always considered a thinking man’s team, but even new CSGO fans know to pay their respects to captain Finn "karrigan" Andersen.

Does major champ Outsiders have a shot at winning?

It’s rare to see a reigning major champion enter a tournament as a dark horse, but Outsiders is somehow flying under the radar as a favorite for IEM Katowice 2023. The answer is because of a sub-par run at BLAST World Finals, where the Eastern Europeans dropped two series in the group stage and fell out at eighth. However, there’s still reason to suspect a deep run for Outsiders, if not an outright championship. Discounting that performance, Outsiders still has winning records against Heroic, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and FaZe.

Na’Vi and G2 are the only difficult matchups for the team, and a lucky bracket could result in coasting to the podium. Outsiders’ slow, methodical, and frugal playstyle, largely attributed to captain AWPer Dzhami "Jame" Ali, makes Outsiders a very difficult team to upset. Its matchup history is also a strong point, giving it great odds to beat almost every other invited team. As the champion of the Rio Major, Outsiders definitely brings a unique X-factor to Poland.

It’s worth noting that the playing field for pro CSGO is fairly even in early 2023, and several dark horses could go far at the event. The top 16 ranked teams in the world will all be in attendance, and several long-standing rivalries could play a role in the outcome. Still, if you’re trying to predict the winner of IEM Katowice 2023, G2, FaZe, and Outsiders should be the first squads on your mind.

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