ESL announces IEM Dallas 2025 Groups and opening matches

ESL has confirmed the full groups and opening matches for IEM Dallas 2025 ahead of its start on May 19th, giving fans a glimpse of the action they can expect when Counter-Strike heads back to the states later this month.

IEM Dallas 2025 has a tough act to follow after 2024

If you cast your mind back to last year, you’ll remember that IEM Dallas 2024 played host to the epic GStew run, in which G2 won the event playing with North American Counter-Strike icon Stewie2K as a stand-in. It’s undeniably a tough act to follow, and based on the storylines so far, I’m not expecting anything too exciting.

You can find the opening matches for Group A and B of IEM Dallas 2025 below:

Group A

• Team Vitality vs. Legacy
• 3DMAX vs. GamerLegion
• The MongolZ vs. FURIA
• G2 vs. Lynn Vision

Group B

• MOUZ vs. BC.Game
• Team Liquid vs. FaZe Clan
• Aurora vs. HEROIC
• Falcons vs. NRG

Coming into the event, there are a few games to keep an eye on. The first is obviously Team Vitality vs. Legacy. While it should be an easy Team Vitality win, I’m curious to see at what point the pressure starts to mount as their remarkable winning streak transforms into a true Counter-Strike era.

Then, there’s G2 vs. Lynn Vision. It may be a very different G2 to the lineup we saw lift the trophy last year, but you always have to keep one eye on the holder to see how they defend their crown. I expect them to beat Lynn Vision, but I still don’t expect it to be pretty further down the line. They don’t have that Stewie2K aura anymore.

Last, but by no means least, is Team Liquid vs. FaZe Clan. It has two massive names facing off, which is great, but that’s not why I’m interested here. No – I’m interested in the return of s1mple, who signed with FaZe Clan a few days ago for the next couple of tournaments. How can you not be curious to see how the CS:GOAT does in his grand return to Counter-Strike?