# ESL Pro League Season 3

ESL Pro League Season 3 (shortened as EPL Season 3) was an Electronic Sports League Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament. It was the third season of the ESL Pro League. The Finals took place in London, United Kingdom from May 11 to May 15, 2016. Europe's regular season began on February 9, with Astralis beating Natus Vincere and ended with Ninjas in Pyjamas defeating G2 Esports. North America's season started with Renegades defeating Enemy (which later signed with Selfless Gaming) and ended with Team Liquid defeating Splyce The finals concluded with Luminosity Gaming defeating G2 Esports in a close best of five grand finals, which many consider to be a classic. Teams from two continents, North America and Europe competed in twelve team leagues and play against each other twice to determine the top four teams from each continent that would play in the Finals. The finals will offer a prize pool of US$510,000.

## Format

Each continent featured the top nine teams from last season's ESL Pro League Season 2, two teams from the ESL Pro League Season 2 Relegation, and one team from the Wild Card. Teams within each continent will play each other twice to determine the top four qualifier to the Finals in London. There will be a total of nine weeks in this phase of the tournament. All games in the preliminaries will be played online.
The top four teams after the conclusion of the regular season moved on to London to play in the Finals; in addition, those teams were invited to next season's ESL Pro League. Teams that placed fifth to eleventh place did not make the Finals, but were invited to next season's ESL Pro League. The teams in 12th place were required to play in Season 3's Relegation match, in which two teams from each continent play to see which team moves on to next season's ESL Pro League
The Finals consisted of eight teams, four from Europe and four from North America. These teams were separated into two groups – the first and third seeds from North America and the second and fourth seeds from Europe will be in one group and the other teams in the other group. The group stage consisted of the highest seed going against the lowest seed and the middle two seeds against each other, both games in a best of one format. The winners will play in a best of one to determine one team in the Playoffs; the losers will play in a best of three to determine which team gets eliminated from the tournament. The remaining two teams will play in a best of three to determine which team will be the second team in the group to move on to the Playoffs. In the Playoffs, the semifinals will be a best of three and the finals will be a best of five. The winner of the finals will win the tournament and the top prize. All games in the Finals were played offline.

## Teams

* North America
* Luminosity Gaming (Season 2 Top 9)
* Team Liquid (Season 2 Top 9)
* OpTic Gaming (Season 2 Top 9)
* Cloud9 (Season 2 Top 9)
* compLexity Gaming (Season 2 Top 9)
* Splyce (Season 2 Top 9)
* Selfless Gaming (Season 2 Top 9)
* Counter Logic Gaming (Season 2 Top 9)
* KKona (Season 2 Top 9)
* Winterfox (Season 2 Relegation)
* NRG eSports (Season 2 Relegation)
* Renegades (Wild Card)
* Europe
* Astralis (Season 2 Top 9)
* Fnatic (Season 2 Top 9)
* Natus Vincere (Season 2 Top 9)
* Team EnVyUs (Season 2 Top 9)
* G2 Esports (Season 2 Top 9)
* Team Dignitas (Season 2 Top 9)
* Ninjas in Pyjamas (Season 2 Top 9)
* mousesports (Season 2 Top 9)
* Virtus.pro (Season 2 Top 9)
* SK Gaming (Season 2 Relegation)
* FlipSid3 Tactics (Season 2 Relegation)
* FaZe Clan (Wild Card)

## North America
### Broadcast Talent

Commentators
* Cory "megaman" Gilbert
* John "BLU" Mullen
* Jason "moses" O'Toole

### Final standings

Final Standings :
| Place | Prize Money | Team | W-L | RF-RA | RD | Pts | Roster | Coach |
| 1st | TBD | Luminosity Gaming | 18-4 | 304-223 | +81 | 54 | FalleN, coldzera, TACO, fnx, fer | zews |
| 2nd | TBD | Cloud9 | 16-6 | 306-229 | +77 | 48 | n0thing, Stewie2k, Skadoodle, fREAKAZOiD, shroud | lrukandji |
| 3rd | TBD | OpTic Gaming | 15-7 | 311-211 | +100 | 45 | daps, NAF, stanislaw, RUSH, mixwell | |
| 4th | TBD | Team Liquid | 14-8 | 321-245 | +76 | 42 | Hiko, nitr0, EliGE, koosta, adreN, s1mple | |
| 5th | US$27,000 | NRG eSports | 14-8 | 291-259 | +32 | 42 | ptr, just9n, Silent3m, gob b, LEGIJA | |
| 6th | US$23,500 | Selfless Gaming | 13-9 | 305-260 | +45 | 39 | MAiNLiNE, Relyks, Nifty, mitch, Lucky, Uber | Ryu |
| 7th | US$20,000 | Renegades | 13-9 | 287-249 | +38 | 39 | AZR, jks, Yam, USTILO, SPUNJ | peekay |
| 8th | US$16,500 | Winterfox | 11-11 | 246-271 | -25 | 33 | LeX, anger, flowsicK, hades, Xp3 | paradox |
| 9th | US$13,000 | Splyce | 8-14 | 226-297 | -71 | 24 | arya, abE, Professor_Chaos, jasonR, DAVEY | |
| 10th | US$9,500 | Counter Logic Gaming | 5-17 | 220-333 | -113 | 15 | reltuC, jdm64, hazed, FugLy, tarik | pita |
| 11th | US$6,000 | compLexity Gaming | 4-18 | 257-346 | -89 | 12 | witmer, Uber, androidx23 Surreal, dephh | Warden |
| 12th | US$3,500 | KKona | 1-21 | 199-350 | -151 | 3 | inVert, rooRoooo, vice, dayV1D, OCEAN, els | |

#### Scores

Results :
| | Liquid | LG | OpTic | CLG | coL | Cloud9 | Splyce | Selfless | KKona | WFX | NRG | RNG |
| Liquid | | 13-16 11-16 | 16-10 16-12 | 16-5 22-19 | 8-16 16-14 | 16-8 16-5 | 14-16 16-4 | 9-16 16-11 | 16-1 16-1 | 16-8 11-16 | 14-16 16-12 | 11-16 16-7 |
| LG | 16-13 16-11 | | F-W F-W$^1$ | 16-9 16-12 | 16-2 16-9 | 13-16 16-7 | 16-11 16-8 | 16-14 16-6 | 16-13 16-5 | 16-11 3-16 | 16-3 16-9 | 16-3 16-13 |
| OpTic | 10-16 12-16 | W-F W-F$^1$ | | 16-7 16-7 | 16-10 16-4 | 16-13 16-7 | 16-4 16-6 | 10-16 14-16 | 16-10 16-11 | 16-5 6-16 | 10-16 16-8 | 16-7 9-16 |
| CLG | 5-16 19-22 | 9-16 12-16 | 7-16 7-16 | | 19-17 16-10 | 12-16 5-16 | 8-16 13-16 | 16-12 6-16 | 16-6 16-10 | 10-16 13-16 | F-W F-W$^1$ | 5-16 6-16 |
| coL | 16-8 14-16 | 2-16 9-16 | 10-16 4-16 | 17-19 10-16 | | 15-19 2-16 | 7-16 16-14 | 16-12 13-16 | 22-18 8-16 | 12-16 14-16 | 13-16 13-16 | 11-16 13-16 |
| Cloud9 | 8-16 5-16 | 16-13 7-16 | 13-16 7-16 | 16-12 16-5 | 19-15 16-2 | | 16-7 16-5 | 16-10 4-16 | 16-9 16-4 | 16-7 16-3 | 16-12 16-5 | 19-16 16-8 |
| Splyce | 14-16 4-16 | 11-16 8-16 | 4-16 6-16 | 16-8 16-13 | 16-7 14-16 | 7-16 5-16 | | 5-16 11-16 | 16-12 16-6 | 16-2 3-16 | 16-11 10-16 | 4-16 6-16 |
| Selfless | 16-9 11-16 | 14-16 6-16 | 16-10 16-14 | 12-16 16-6 | 12-16 16-13 | 10-16 16-4 | 16-5 16-11 | | 16-11 16-11 | 10-16 16-5 | 16-7 10-16 | 12-16 10-16 |
| KKona | 1-16 1-16 | 13-16 5-16 | 10-16 11-16 | 6-16 10-16 | 18-22 16-8 | 9-16 4-16 | 12-16 6-16 | 11-16 11-16 | | 7-16 6-16 | 10-16 14-16 | 6-16 12-16 |
| WFX | 8-16 16-11 | 11-16 16-3 | 5-16 16-6 | 16-10 16-13 | 16-12 16-14 | 7-16 3-16 | 2-16 16-3 | 16-10 5-16 | 16-7 16-6 | | 10-16 12-16 | 4-16 3-16 |
| NRG | 16-14 12-16 | 3-16 9-16 | 16-10 8-16 | W-F W-F$^1$ | 11-16 16-10 | 12-16 5-16 | 16-14 12-16 | 16-7 16-10 | 16-10 16-14 | 16-10 16-12 | | 16-2 16-13 |
| RNG | 16-11 7-16 | 3-16 13-16 | 7-16 16-9 | 16-5 16-6 | 16-11 16-13 | 16-19 8-16 | 16-4 16-6 | 16-12 10-16 | 16-6 16-12 | 16-4 16-3 | 2-16 13-16 | |
$^1$Luminosity Gaming and Counter Logic Gaming forfeited their matches against OpTic Gaming and NRG eSports, respectively, since both teams were attending DreamHack Masters Malmö 2016 in Sweden.

## Europe
### Broadcast Talent

Commentators
* Anders Blume
* Joona "natu" Leppänen
* Mitch "Uber" Leslie
* Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat
* Jason "moses" O'Toole
* Lauren "Pansy" Scott
* Niels Christian "NaToSaphiX" Sillassen
* Matthew "Sadokist" Trivett
Analysts
* Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill
* Halvor "vENdetta" Gulestøl
* Janko "YNk" Paunović
* Leigh "Deman" Smith
Observer
* Alex "Rushly" Rush

### Final standings

Final Standings :
| Place | Prize Money | Team | W-L | RF-RA | RD | Pts | Roster | Coach |
| 1st | TBD | Ninjas in Pyjamas | 19-3 | 346-209 | +137 | 57 | GeT RiGhT, f0rest, Xizt, friberg, pyth | THREAT |
| 2nd | TBD | Astralis | 16-6 | 316-233 | +83 | 48 | dev1ce, karrigan, Xyp9x, dupreeh, cajunb | zonic |
| 3rd | TBD | Fnatic | 15-7 | 308-251 | +57 | 45 | flusha, olofmeister, JW, dennis, KRiMZ | vuggo |
| 4th | TBD | G2 Esports | 14-8 | 306-263 | +43 | 42 | shox, bodyy, Rpk, SmithZz, ScreaM | |
| 5th | US$27,000 | Natus Vincere | 14-8 | 304-291 | +13 | 42 | Zeus, Edward, flamie, seized, GuardiaN | starix |
| 6th | US$23,500 | Team Dignitas | 11-11 | 264-293 | -29 | 33 | Kjaerbye, k0nfig, Magiskb0Y, MSL, RUBINO | |
| 7th | US$20,000 | FaZe Clan | 10-12 | 308-280 | +28 | 30 | fox, rain, jkaem, aizy, kioShiMa | RobbaN |
| 8th | US$16,500 | mousesports | 9-13 | 302-321 | -19 | 27 | denis, nex Spiidi, chrisJ, NiKo | |
| 9th | US$13,000 | Team EnVyUs | 7-15 | 275-318 | -43 | 21 | kennyS, Happy, apEX, DEVIL, NBK- | Maniac |
| 10th | US$9,500 | SK Gaming | 7-15 | 263-347 | -84 | 21 | Friis, AcilioN, Magiskb0Y, Pimp, MODDII | |
| 11th | US$6,000 | FlipSid3 Tactics | 6-16 | 240-308 | -68 | 18 | Blad3, markeloff, Shara, WorldEdit, waylander | |
| 12th | US$3,500 | Virtus.pro | 4-18 | 233-351 | -118 | 12 | TaZ, NEO, pashaBiceps, Snax, byali | kuben |

#### Scores

Results :
| | Astralis | Fnatic | Na'Vi | EnVyUs | G2 | Dig | NiP | mouz | VP | SK | F3 | FaZe |
| Astralis | | 16-5 19-22 | 16-13 14-16 | 16-10 7-16 | 16-10 8-16 | 16-11 16-5 | 8-16 4-16 | 16-12 16-4 | 16-3 16-11 | 16-7 16-5 | 16-7 16-7 | 16-12 16-9 |
| Fnatic | 5-16 22-19 | | 16-11 13-16 | 16-4 5-16 | 16-5 16-7 | 16-6 16-5 | 6-16 16-10 | 16-4 17-19 | 16-12 16-9 | 16-11 16-6 | 16-13 16-14 | 6-16 10-16 |
| Na'Vi | 13-16 16-14 | 11-16 16-13 | | 16-11 16-7 | 19-16 3-16 | 16-14 16-3 | 16-13 10-16 | 16-10 10-16 | 16-9 16-12 | 7-16 12-16 | 16-12 8-16 | 19-16 16-12 |
| EnVyUs | 10-16 16-7 | 4-16 16-5 | 11-16 7-16 | | 11-16 12-16 | 14-16 7-16 | 10-16 3-16 | 19-22 8-16 | 20-22 16-13 | 22-19 16-6 | 16-9 16-7 | 14-16 7-16 |
| G2 | 10-16 16-8 | 5-16 7-16 | 16-19 16-3 | 16-11 16-12 | | 16-6 10-16 | 16-13 10-16 | 16-13 10-16 | 14-16 16-6 | 16-5 16-13 | 16-12 16-7 | 16-13 16-10 |
| Dig | 11-16 5-16 | 6-16 5-16 | 14-16 3-16 | 16-14 16-7 | 6-16 16-10 | | 8-16 8-16 | 19-16 16-10 | 16-5 16-14 | 25-23 16-2 | 16-3 16-7 | 16-9 7-16 |
| NiP | 16-8 16-4 | 16-6 10-16 | 13-16 16-10 | 16-10 16-3 | 13-16 16-10 | 16-8 16-8 | | 19-15 16-14 | 16-2 16-11 | 16-8 19-16 | 16-4 16-8 | 16-7 16-9 |
| mouz | 12-16 4-16 | 4-16 19-17 | 10-16 16-10 | 22-19 16-8 | 13-16 16-10 | 16-19 10-16 | 15-19 14-16 | | 16-5 15-19 | 16-8 11-16 | 12-16 13-16 | 16-14 16-13 |
| VP | 3-16 11-16 | 12-16 9-16 | 9-16 12-16 | 22-20 13-16 | 16-14 6-16 | 5-16 14-16 | 2-16 11-16 | 5-16 15-19 | | 11-16 12-16 | 16-14 6-16 | 9-16 10-16 |
| SK | 7-16 5-16 | 11-16 6-16 | 16-7 16-12 | 19-22 6-16 | 13-16 6-16 | 23-25 2-16 | 8-16 16-19 | 8-16 16-11 | 16-11 16-12 | | 10-16 16-13 | 25-23 3-16 |
| F3 | 7-16 7-16 | 13-16 14-16 | 16-12 8-16 | 9-16 7-16 | 12-16 7-16 | 16-3 7-16 | 4-16 8-16 | 16-12 16-13 | 14-16 16-6 | 16-10 13-16 | | 8-16 2-16 |
| FaZe | 12-16 9-16 | 16-6 16-10 | 17-19 12-16 | 16-14 16-7 | 13-16 10-16 | 9-16 16-7 | 7-16 9-16 | 14-16 13-16 | 16-9 16-10 | 23-25 16-3 | 16-8 16-2 | |

## Finals

The finalized teams are shown below. Each team's world ranking for May 11, 2016 is also shown.
| North America Luminosity Gaming (1) Cloud9 (15) OpTic Gaming (24) Team Liquid (9) | Europe Ninjas in Pyjamas (5) Astralis (4) Fnatic (3) G2 Esports (19) |

### Broadcast Talent

Host
* Oliver James "OJ Borg" Borg D'Anastasi
Desk Host
* Alex "Machine" Richardson
Commentators
* Anders Blume
* Henry "HenryG" Greer
* Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat
* John "BLU" Mullen
* Jason "moses" O'Toole
* Lauren "Pansy" Scott
* Matthew" Sadokist" Trivett
Analyst
* Janko "YNk" Paunović
Observers
* Heather "sapphiRe" Garrozo
* Alex "Rushly" Rush

### Group stage
#### Group A

| Pos | Team | W | L | RF | RA | RD | Pts |
| 1 | G2 Esports | 2 | 0 | 32 | 19 | +13 | 6 |
| 2 | Luminosity Gaming | 2 | 1 | 85 | 82 | +3 | 6 |
| 3 | OpTic Gaming | 1 | 2 | 48 | 55 | -7 | 3 |
| 4 | Astralis | 0 | 2 | 48 | 57 | -9 | 0 |
Group A Matches :
| Astralis | 0 | 1 | OpTic Gaming |
| Luminosity Gaming | 0 | 1 | G2 Esports |
| OpTic Gaming | 0 | 1 | G2 Esports |
| Luminosity Gaming | 2 | 1 | Astralis |
| OpTic Gaming | 0 | 2 | Luminosity Gaming |
Group A Scores :
| Team | Score | Map | Score | Team |
| Astralis | 7 | Inferno | 16 | OpTic Gaming |
| Luminosity Gaming | 12 | Train | 16 | G2 Esports |
| OpTic Gaming | 7 | Cobblestone | 16 | G2 Esports |
| Luminosity Gaming | 9 | Dust II | 16 | Astralis |
| Luminosity Gaming | 16 | Overpass | 12 | Astralis |
| Luminosity Gaming | 16 | Train | 13 | Astralis |
| OpTic Gaming | 12 | Inferno | 16 | Luminosity Gaming |
| OpTic Gaming | 13 | Overpass | 16 | Luminosity Gaming |
| OpTic Gaming | – | Cobblestone | – | Luminosity Gaming |

#### Group B

| Pos | Team | W | L | RF | RA | RD | Pts |
| 1 | Ninjas in Pyjamas | 2 | 0 | 38 | 27 | +11 | 6 |
| 2 | Fnatic | 2 | 1 | 57 | 45 | +12 | 6 |
| 3 | Team Liquid | 1 | 2 | 72 | 80 | -8 | 3 |
| 4 | Cloud9 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 51 | -15 | 0 |
Group B Matches :
| Cloud9 | 0 | 1 | Fnatic |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 1 | 0 | Team Liquid |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 1 | 0 | Fnatic |
| Cloud9 | 0 | 2 | Team Liquid |
| Fnatic | 2 | 0 | Team Liquid |
Group B Scores :
| Team | Score | Map | Score | Team |
| Cloud9 | 10 | Inferno | 16 | Fnatic |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 22 | Dust II | 18 | Team Liquid |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 16 | Train | 9 | Fnatic |
| Cloud9 | 16 | Dust II | 19 | Team Liquid |
| Cloud9 | 10 | Cobblestone | 16 | Team Liquid |
| Cloud9 | – | Cache | – | Team Liquid |
| Fnatic | 16 | Mirage | 13 | Team Liquid |
| Fnatic | 16 | Cache | 6 | Team Liquid |
| Fnatic | – | Overpass | – | Team Liquid |

### Playoffs
#### Bracket

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals |
| G2 Esports | 2 | | |
| Fnatic | 1 | | |
| Fnatic | 1 | G2 Esports | 2 |
| | | Luminosity Gaming | 3 |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 1 | Luminosity Gaming | 3 |
| Luminosity Gaming | 2 | | |

#### Semifinals

Semifinals :
| Team | Score | Map | Score | Team |
| G2 Esports | 14 | Inferno | 16 | Fnatic |
| G2 Esports | 16 | Cache | 8 | Fnatic |
| G2 Esports | 16 | Train | 12 | Fnatic |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 4 | Overpass | 16 | Luminosity Gaming |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 16 | Dust II | 8 | Luminosity Gaming |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 10 | Cobblestone | 16 | Luminosity Gaming |

#### Finals

Finals :
| Team | Score | Map | Score | Team |
| G2 Esports | 16 | Overpass | 10 | Luminosity Gaming |
| G2 Esports | 13 | Train | 16 | Luminosity Gaming |
| G2 Esports | 16 | Cobblestone | 10 | Luminosity Gaming |
| G2 Esports | 11 | Dust II | 16 | Luminosity Gaming |
| G2 Esports | 16 | Inferno | 19 | Luminosity Gaming |

### Finals Standings

Final Standings :
| Place | Prize Money | Team |
| 1st | US$200,000 | Luminosity Gaming |
| 2nd | US$90,000 | G2 Esports |
| 3rd – 4th | US$44,000 | Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| 3rd – 4th | US$44,000 | Fnatic |
| 5th – 6th | US$36,000 | OpTic Gaming |
| 5th – 6th | US$36,000 | Team Liquid |
| 7th – 8th | US$31,000 | Astralis |
| 7th – 8th | US$31,000 | Cloud9 |