The start of the year often indicates the time for IEM Katowice in the Counter-Strike 2 schedule. However, the 2025 tournament will be unique as it will involve a female team for the first time.
The team in question is Imperial fe, a European all-women CS2 squad, currently holding the 23rd spot in Valve’s ranking. This is the list used by ESL to delegate the 24 invites for the competition. IEM Katowice 2025 is set to be a milestone in CS history as it will be the first time that a solely female team will participate in the ESL Pro Tour’s Championship Event. Though they are new to the tournament, they’re seasoned players in the gaming industry.
Imperial fe has been invincible in the ESL Impact series, a series of all-women Counter-Strike tournaments. They’ve won all the eight LAN events held so far. Besides their ESL supremacy, they’ve been the top contenders in other women’s competitions, clinching the championship at Fragster Summer Vibes FE 2024.
Were it not for one regulation, Imperial fe would not be the only women’s squad at IEM Katowice 2025. FURIA fe qualifies for the competition as they rank 24th on Valve’s list. However, only one team per organization can participate in Katowice. Perhaps unsurprisingly, FURIA chose their men’s team who are presently 10th on Valve’s list to compete in Poland with hopes of winning the title.
The Play-in stage of IEM Katowice 2025 will kick off on Jan. 29, followed by the main stage commencing on Feb. 1. Team Spirit will be aiming to retain their title and are entering the competition on a high after capturing the Perfect World Shanghai CS2 Major trophy in December.
