Preview: FISSURE Playground 1

Less than a month after the conclusion of the BLAST.tv Austin Major, the new Counter-Strike season is already set to kick off.

Opening the calendar is FISSURE Playground 1, which is a $1 million LAN tournament held in Belgrade, Serbia.

The event won’t feature the top-tier powerhouses, with the likes of Vitality, Spirit, and Falcons all skipping the competition. In fact, FURIA will be the only current Top 10 team in attendance.

Despite the absence of the biggest names, FISSURE Playground 1 will offer plenty of intrigue. With new rosters and fresh faces expected, it will be the first real look at many of the off-season changes, and a chance for others to make an early statement.

Down below, is everything you will need to know about the tournament.

Dates and location

️ July 15–20, 2025
Sava Center, Belgrade, Serbia
Prize pool: $1,000,000

Attending teams

Format

• Group Stage:
  
  • Four double-elimination format (GSL) Groups
    • Each group has 4 teams
    • All matches are Bo3
  • Top two teams from each group advance to the Playoffs

• Playoffs:
  
  • Single-Elimination bracket
  • The Quarterfinals & Semifinals are Bo3
  • The Grand Final is Bo5

(Source: Liquipedia)

Prize distribution

Here’s the full prize distribution with the club share added to the main prize:

• 1st – $290,000
• 2nd – $220,000
• 3-4th – $105,000
• 5-8th – $50,000
• 9-12th – $15,000
• 13-16th – $5,000

Bookmakers favorite

Winner odds have not yet been revealed.

How to watch

FISSURE on YouTube

FISSURE on Kick