After a long wait, it appears that CS2 fans who keep an eye on ESL will be able to enjoy one of the most classic venues next year. ESL has confirmed that CS2 will be back at Katowice in 2026, and everyone is ready to see CS2 at the Spodek Arena once again.

The best CS2 betting sites will certainly be booming during the event. The announcement came after ESL previously decided to host the IEM Katowice event in Krakow in 2025. Considering Katowice used to be the center of CS for a long time, this came as a surprise.

Luckily, the Katowice era didn’t come to an end. ESL will take advantage of this classic location once again, and both teams and fans are feeling the excitement.

ESL announced on social media that the CS2 scene will return to Katowice in 2026. After an earlier decision to take the IEM Katowice event to Krakow in 2025, fans were a bit surprised. But ESL wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the Polish city forever, so now it seems like it’s back into play with an even more exciting atmosphere.

ESL FACEIT Group announced that the ESL Pro League Season 24 Finals will unfold on October 9-11, 2026, at the Spodek Arena. This is one of the key venues in the eSports scene. It’s a confirmation that ESL wanted to return to the live arena environment for the EPL Playoffs. Spodek Arena will see not only fans from Poland, but also those from other countries.

The 24th Season of the ESL Pro League will start on September 24 and last until October 11, 2026. ESL Pro League is the biggest Counter-Strike League in the world.

The teams will all go to battle in an attempt to win the $1,000,000 prize pool, as well as the trophy. As it will unfold in the Spodek Arena, the event will bring back some good memories, as this place hosted some of the most important events in eSports.

Marc Winther, Director Game Ecosystems – Counter-Strike at ESL FACEIT Group, spoke about ESL and its importance in the eSports scene. He admitted that ESL Pro League has been one of the key events in the competitive landscape of Counter-Strike and that everyone is excited for it to return in front of a large live audience. He also claimed that eSports does best when experienced in person in a live environment.

He also mentioned how Katowice is where many champions were born, and how Spodek Arena has been the home of many unforgettable moments. Winther said that there’s no better place than Katowice for fans to experience the excitement of the ESL Pro League Live.

Marcin Krupa, the Mayor of Katowice, also spoke about how Katowice has been writing history in CS2.

“For years now, Katowice has been a symbol of global esports, and Spodek – its temple,” he said. “The return of the ESL Pro League to a format with a live audience and the choice of our city as the host of the finals is a sign of trust and recognition for our long-standing cooperation with ESL FACEIT Group. The city of Katowice strengthens its position as the Counter-Strike history will be written here once again – with the best players and thousands of fans from around the world.”

Over the years, Katowice has been a center for major eSports tournaments. While it hosted events for a wide range of eSports, the one it’s most known for is CS2.

The history goes all the way back to 2013, when major IEM events started being hosted there. Katowice quickly became one of the world’s most vibrant and passionate venues.

One reason why Katowice is so great for CS2 events is that it has the right infrastructure. The Polish city has just what it takes to host large events. For instance, Spodek Arena is a big venue that can accommodate up to 11,500 fans.

The city’s gaming community is also large and successful. There are even several teams and organizations that participate in the eSports scene. Over the years, Katowice has done its best to attract more eSports events, which is why it invested so much to make the environment suitable for them.

While the CS2 events moved to Krakow for a while, ESL will return to Katowice in 2026, which proves ESL’s long-term commitment to Counter-Strike.

This return will show fans why Katowice plays such a huge role in the game’s legacy, and why its atmosphere cannot be replicated by other venues. Besides, it allows them to experience ESL Pro League in a live setting in person, which makes everything more exciting.