ESL shuts down women’s CS2 league – “The economic model is no longer sustainable”

Tournament organizer ESL has announced the closure of the women’s ESL Impact league in Counter-Strike 2. The series will end after its 8th season, which will take place from November 28 to 30 in Stockholm.

“We have made an incredibly difficult decision to suspend the ESL Impact tournament cycle after the end of Season 8. Although the project has been successful in its mission to raise awareness of women’s Counter-Strike, despite significant investment, the current economic model is simply not sustainable,” ESL said in an official statement.

The company emphasized that it still considers the development of a diverse and inclusive esports ecosystem a key value and intends to continue supporting the women’s community.

The ESL Impact series has been a crucial part of the competitive scene: each of the eight tournaments featured a $123,000 prize pool, making them the largest women’s CS2 competitions. By comparison, the second-largest women’s tournament in 2025 – the Tradeit League FE – offered only $12,500 in prize money.

“As the upcoming season will be the final one in the current ESL Impact format, we want to thank all the players, teams, and fans for your dedication and for everything we have achieved together,” ESL added.

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The final ESL Impact season will feature eight teams: four from Europe, two from North America, and two from South America. Its conclusion will effectively mark the end of the biggest women’s league in CS2 history.