The prize pool for the forthcoming IEM Rio Major, the second CS:GO competition supported by Valve this year, has increased from $1 million to $1.25 million thanks to ESL. This implies that all 24 participating teams will now receive prize money.

The extra $250,000 from the IEM Road to Rio prize pool was transferred by ESL. Prior to this modification, the bottom-finishing teams (17th to 24th) received only sticker money and no prize money at all.

Now, they’ll win $10,000 for their placing and the rest of the money was allocated across the other placings aside from the champion, who will still earn $500,000.

What this means for the future events?

The prize pool for the IEM Rio Major will be larger as a result of this adjustment than the prize pools for the previous 16 Majors. Due to the Major suspension during the COVID-19 epidemic, the first Brazilian Major is only slightly behind the PGL Stockholm Major, which featured a prize fund of $2 million.

The prize pool for the first CS:GO Major, DreamHack Winter 2013, was $250,000, and it remained that size until MLG Columbus 2016, the first CS:GO Major to set the prize pool at $1 million.

In the CS:GO community, the news of the prize pool increase for the IEM Rio Major has received widespread support. The Regional Major Ranking (RMR) events for Europe, the Americas, and Asia will determine all of the teams in early October.

The real tournament will take place in Rio de Janeiro from October 31 to November 14. The overall number of spaces taken by European teams will be 16, while American teams will compete for six spots, and two Asian teams will round out the list.