What are the highlights of the IEM Winter 2021 group stage?

The group stage of IEM Winter 2021 has come to an end. At the same time, the first part of the championship presented several unexpected results, among which, definitely, it is worth highlighting the departure of Heroic, Astralis and FaZe Clan. At the same time, GODSENT and NIP, which definitely did not belong to the category of the main favorites of the tournament, made it to the playoffs of the championship. In this regard, we propose to recall what the group stage of IEM Winter 2021 was remembered for, and also tell you about the seeding in the playoffs of the championship.

Group A

Already at the end of the first playing day, we said goodbye to two teams - TYLOO and MOUZ. If the Chinese team lost to G2 and OG, then MOUZ did not cope with Vitality and Astralis, thus ending their season in last place.

The next day was also sensational. And if NIP managed to outplay OG, Liquid closed Astralis without a chance, simultaneously defeating the Danes on Nuke with a score of 16: 1.

At the same time, the Swedish team managed to take revenge on Liquid for the offensive defeat at BLAST Fall Finals 2021, defeating the North Americans with a score of 2: 0. In the upper bracket, G2 defeated Vitality, thus earning the right to get to the semifinals of the championship.

Group B

In the second group, there were much more surprises. First of all, we are talking about the failure of Heroic, which already at the start of the tournament lost to GODSENT, and then failed to cope with FaZe Clan, thereby taking the last place. Among the worst, the Danish team was accompanied by ENCE players, who were not helped by the return of the captain. As a result, ENCE lost to Virtus.pro and fnatic, ending their season on a sad note.

BIG and FaZe Clan went next to the exit, losing to fnatic and Gambit, respectively. Together with them, the fnatic team dropped out of the tournament, which in the last match could not cope with Gambit.

Playoffs IEM Winter 2021

Six teams will continue their way to the championship playoffs. At the same time, G2 and Virtus.pro will start their journey from the semi-final stage, having received almost a week's respite from the competition. At the same time, the four teams formed the quarterfinals' grid, which looks like this:

• NIP - GODSENT.
  
• Vitality - Gambit.

The winner of the NIP - GODSENT pair will advance to G2, while the winner of the Vitality - Gambit match will play in the 1/2 finals with Virtus.pro.

IEM Winter 2021 takes place from December 2 to December 12 in Stockholm. Sixteen teams from around the world are competing for a $ 250,000 prize pool. In addition to the cash reward, teams will be giving away ESL Pro Tour Points that will help qualify for IEM Katowice 2022.

Interim results of IEM Winter 2021

• 1st place: TBD.
• 2nd place: TBD.
• 3-4th place: TBD.
• 5th-6th place: TBD.
• 7th-8th place: fnatic - $ 6,000.
• 7th-8th place: Liquid - $ 6,000.
• 9th-12th place: FaZe Clan - $ 5,000.
• 9th-12th place: BIG - $ 5,000.
• 9th-12th place: OG - $ 5,000.
• 9th-12th place: Astralis - $ 5,000.
• 13-16th place: ENCE - $ 4,000.
• 13th-16th place: Heroic - $ 4,000.
• 13th-16th place: TYLOO - $ 4,000.
• 13-16th place: MOUZ - $ 4,000.