The Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023 kicks off in Brazil on the 17th of April and runs until the 23rd. Don’t forget to live stream all matches in HD at gg.bet/en/counter-strike. This tournament is considered an S-tier tournament and features 16 of the most elite CS:GO pro squads from across the world. There is $250,000 up for grabs, and the winning squad will pocket $100,000!
What Teams Are Competing at The Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023?
Sixteen elite teams are making the trip to Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The non-local teams are sure to face a hostile crowd. Brazilian fans are known for their crazy loud cheers and love to jeer the away teams. Here is a full list of the competing teams:
•FaZeClan
•NinjasinPyjamas
•MOUZ
•Team Vitality
•Cloud9
•FURIA Esports
•Heroic
•Fnatic
•Outsiders
•OG
•NatusVincere
•9INE
•BIG
•MIBR
•9z Team
•IHC Esports
As you can see, there is a great mix between familiar names and up-and-coming squads. Keep a close eye on the two Brazilian teams, Furia Esports and MIBR.
What is The Tournament Structure?
The 16 teams will be divided into two groups, each featuring 8 teams. The top 3 teams from each group advance to the playoffs.
The group winners advance immediately to the semi-finals, while the other qualifying teams head to the quarterfinals. The playoffs are single elimination. The semi-finals and quarterfinals are a best of 3 series, while the final is a best of 5 series.
Heroic Are The Favorites to Win The Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023
It seems like Heroic get better with every tournament they enter. The Norwegian squad is in amazing form after taking second at the Intel Extreme Masters Rio Major 2022 and the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2023 and winning the BLAST Premier: Fall Finals 2022. If cadiaN leads Heroic from the front, we expect them to cruise to the finals and ultimately win the title against FaZe Clan!
FaZe Clan Always Has a Shot
FaZe Clan is an incredibly impressive team. The American squad has $5.8 million in earnings and won millions in 2022 alone! Even though they haven’t had the best start to 2023, we expect them to find their form and make a deep run in Rio. They are led by two of the best players on the planet, Twistzz and ropz, and have an incredible record of clutch wins in major tournaments!
Don’t Count Out The Brazilians
The atmosphere will be absolutely electric in Rio! The hometown teams Furia Esports and MIBR will receive a big boost from local support.
We expect some of the traveling teams to experience a bit of shell shock as the deafening noise will mess with their concentration. We expect both MIBR and Furia Esports to make the playoffs, but they face an uphill battle in beating the top teams.
Final Thoughts
Don’t forget to tune into the group stage matches of the Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023 on April 17. The event is completely sold out, and we are expecting a wild Brazilian crowd. The arena is going to be bursting with noise and dancing. We can’t wait to see how the local Brazilian squads, Furia Esports and MIBR, perform. Don’t be surprised if Furia Esports makes a deep run and upsets some big-name teams. However, we expect Heroic to get the job done and walk away $100,000 richer. Comment below who you think will win the Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023.
