IEM Rio Major 2022

First CS:GO Major held in Brazil, won by Outsiders.

The Intel Extreme Masters Season XVII – Rio Major 2022, also known as IEM Rio Major 2022, was the eighteenth Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major Championship. Held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between October 31 and November 13, 2022, it was the first Major ever hosted in Brazil. Outsiders won the tournament, defeating Heroic 2–0 in the grand final.

Quick Facts

Game: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date: October 31 – November 13, 2022
Administrator: Valve; ESL
Venue: Challengers and Legends Stages: Riocentro Arena; Champions Stage: Jeunesse Arena
Teams: 24
Purse: US$1,250,000
Champions: Outsiders

Facts from the source article.

Background

The 2022 IEM Rio Major had a long and bumpy road to reality. It was first planned for May 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a delay to November of that year. Because Valve usually holds two Majors annually, this postponed event was set to feature a $2,000,000 prize pool, the biggest ever for a CS:GO Major. However, ongoing COVID-19 issues in Brazil led to its cancellation in September 2020.

The next Major instead became PGL Major Stockholm 2021. In September 2021, ESL’s 2022 Pro Tour roadmap hinted at a Major in Rio, and by January 2022, Dexerto reported that ESL intended to host the second Major of 2022 there. ESL officially announced the IEM Rio Major 2022 on May 24, 2022. It became the first Major ever held in Brazil, and tickets sold out in under an hour.

The defending champions, FaZe Clan, who had won their first Major at PGL Major Antwerp 2022, were eliminated in the Legends Stage after losing to Bad News Eagles.