XANTARES and co. withdraw from $1 million event

Eternal Fire will not be attending IEM Melbourne later this month, ESL confirmed on Thursday.

The Turkish powerhouse, led by İsmailсan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş, has opted out of the event, despite a strong run of form throughout 2025.

In their place, SAW have been invited to compete at the $1 million tournament in Australia.

According to Valve’s global ranking, the Portuguese squad was next in line, following G2, Astralis, and FURIA, which all declined their invites.

Eternal Fire’s absence will be felt in Melbourne, as the team has consistently delivered strong performances this year. They have reached the playoffs at every single top-tier event in 2025, despite an intense travel and tournament schedule.

IEM Melbourne will take place from April 21 to April 27.

Full team list for IEM Melbourne