FACEIT Pro League Qualification Guide

FACEIT Pro League (FPL) represents the pinnacle of competitive Counter-Strike 2, serving as a crucial bridge between amateur talent and professional play. For season 4, we’ve developed a more streamlined qualification pathway for FPL offering more opportunities for players to get their chance to play with professional players.

How does it work?

We have introduced new requirements in each region for players to earn a spot in FPL. These requirements are as follows:

Pro Player Invites 

• Europe: Top 35 EU teams in Valve Rankings
• North America: Top 10 NA teams in Valve Rankings, ECL teams, and top 4 teams in ESEA Advanced from the previous completed season.
• South America: Top 30 SA teams in Valve Rankings and ECL teams.
• Middle East: Curated list of players selected by ELO & ranked tournament/qualifier participation

Direct invites based on these rankings are made at the start of each FACEIT season, with these invites being sent out two days prior to the first FPL play day. Once selected, these players retain their FPL membership for the entire season regardless of subsequent team ranking changes.

Match Making Invites 

Additionally, the top 10 players in Europe, top 30 in North America, top 30 in South America, and top 30 in the Middle East, on the FACEIT Elo rankings who are not already members of FPL will be invited to play in the upcoming week. Players who earn these positions will need to maintain their ELO rank each week to be invited back for the following week. 

Matchmaking players will be contacted the day before each FPL play week to confirm their availability to participate. If selected players cannot commit to the upcoming week's schedule, their spots will be offered to other eligible players who can participate. Players who fail to play will not be invited back the following week, if this continues to happen you may not be invited back for the remainder of the season. 

Why Change the System?

We’ve decided to revamp the FPL system due to significant changes in the competitive Counter-Strike landscape following the transition to CS2. The new system addresses several key needs in the professional ecosystem while creating more sustainable pathways for talent development.

The primary motivation behind these changes is alignment with Valve's 2025 competitive schedule. Professional teams now operate under different tournament structures and timing constraints, necessitating a more flexible FPL format that accommodates their schedules while maintaining competitive integrity. The revised playing windows, particularly in Europe and North America, reflect these scheduling considerations.

The system also responds to community feedback regarding accessibility and opportunity. By implementing regular weekly qualification spots through matchmaking, FPL has created more consistent opportunities for emerging talent to prove themselves. This approach maintains the league's elite status while ensuring a healthy influx of new players who can potentially advance to professional levels.

The introduction of the FPL Points system also provides a more nuanced way to track and reward consistent performance. This mechanism encourages regular participation and creates clearer progression paths for players, while the substantial regional prize pools offer meaningful incentives for both established professionals and upcoming talents.