ESL Grand Slam: Counter-Strike’s Ultimate Prize

Discover the history of the ESL Grand Slam in Counter-Strike, a coveted $1,000,000 prize awarded to teams winning four top-tier ESL tournaments, within ten events. Learn about past Grand Slam champions like Astralis, Team Liquid, Natus Vincere, FaZe Clan, and the latest victors, Team Vitality, and the legacy they’ve forged in esports.

What is the ESL Grand Slam?

The ESL Grand Slam (formerly Intel Grand Slam) is one of the most prestigious achievements in competitive Counter-Strike.

A Grand Slam is awarded to the first team that secures four S-Tier ESL tournament victories within a span of ten back-to-back events. Of course, the primary challenge is that this must include at least one premier event (IEM Katowice, IEM Cologne, or an ESL-run Major Championship). The Grand Slam not only has a $1,000,000 prize but also cements a team’s legacy in esports history.

To increase the challenge, and up the pressure on would-be Grand Slammers, there is also a bounty placed on thwarting a team’s Grand Slam run. If a team stops another from completing the run, they are awarded a tidy sum of $100,000.

Astralis win the ESL Grand Slam — Photo by @AstralisCS on Twitter

Season I: Astralis (2018)

Astralis began the Grand Slam era by obtaining victories at DreamHack Masters Marseille, ESL Pro League Season 7 Finals, IEM Chicago, and ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals.

Many have dubbed this period the “Astralis Era,” and this achievement was crucial in solidifying that title. At this point in time, many saw Astralis as an almost inevitable winner in virtually every event they entered. They remained a force to be reckoned with until late 2019/early 2020 when their performance began to seem human again.

Today’s Astralis looks nothing like those days – but those of us who were there to watch their era were truly in awe.

Team Liquid winning the ESL Grand Slam at ESL One: Cologne 2019 — Photo by Helena Kristiansson via ESL

Season II: Team Liquid (2019)

Team Liquid captured the Grand Slam next, raising trophies at IEM Sydney, DreamHack Masters Dallas, ESL Pro League Season 9 Finals, and ESL One Cologne.

Their run was unprecedented, completing the Grand Slam in just 63 days. This is still the fastest it has been done. For a brief period, Liquid was on top of Counter-Strike in what some hoped would be a real North American era.

However, that peak proved hard to keep up. The team struggled to maintain their form into the following year. Still, for a few months NA fans finally had something to brag about.

Graphic of Natus Vincere's win including the ESL Grand Slam — Graphic by ESL

Season III: Natus Vincere (2021)

Natus Vincere’s Grand Slam was made up of victories at DreamHack Masters Spring, IEM Cologne, ESL Pro League Season 14, and IEM Katowice.

s1mple reaching what was arguably his personal peak, delivering performances that often felt unstoppable, marked this Grand Slam victory. NAVI became synonymous with methodical control and firepower during this stretch. The combination of Blad3’s system and the exceptional fragging of s1mple and b1t made their run feel destined from the moment they won Cologne.

During the final tournament of their run, IEM Katowice 2021, we spoke to coach Blad3 about how winning the ESL Grand Slam etches your team in to history.

Yet, as the online era ended and global competition picked back up again, NAVI slowly began to slip. Regardless, their Grand Slam sealed that lineup’s legacy in Counter-Strike history.

FaZe Clan winning the ESL Grand Slam at ESL Pro League Season 17 — Photo by Helena Kristiansson via ESL

Season IV: FaZe Clan (2023)

FaZe completed their Grand Slam with wins at IEM Katowice, ESL Pro League Season 15, IEM Cologne, and ESL Pro League Season 17.

Many “superteams” struggle to find the kind of rhythm that FaZe achieved. This run wasn’t just about star power, even though many expected individual performances to carry FaZe’s matches. It was about cohesion, resilience (a few long lower bracket runs!), and key players stepping up in clutch moments. Notably, this was Twistzz‘ second Grand Slam victory, making him the first to achieve such a success.

By the end of their run, FaZe had created a chapter of their own. Nonetheless, like the other Grand Slam winners, they would face challenges staying on top in the future.

Team Vitality winning the ESL Grand Slam — Photo by Lee Aik Soon via ESL

Season V: Team Vitality (2025)

Finally, we come to our most recent winners: Vitality.

Vitality’s Grand Slam was won through triumphs at IEM Cologne 2024, IEM Katowice 2025, ESL Pro League Season 21, and IEM Melbourne 2025.

Led by apEX’s excellent calls and the firepower provided by players like ZywOo and ropz, Vitality were sharp, methodical, and felt ahead of their opponents. Just as the addition of Magisk ignited the Astralis era, Vitality’s acquisition of ropz appears to have ushered in what many are calling the era of Vitality. With their current 25 match win streak, it is hard to argue against those notions.

We got the opportunity to talk to Team Vitality’s flameZ about what winning the ESL Grand Slam means to him in this exclusive interview.

Vitality are certainly on top right now, but only time will tell if they will stay there or if their performance will begin to decline in the same way that other Grand Slam winners have in the past.

With five seasons concluded, the ESL Grand Slam continues to be a highly sought-after milestone for Counter-Strike teams. As the game grows and new talents come on to the scene, the race for the next Grand Slam promises engaging narratives and a showcase of the highest levels of competitive play.