Official Rulebook
Tournament rules
Read these before registering. By submitting a team, the captain confirms the whole roster accepts the rulebook and admin authority.
01Tournament format
- 5v5 — Single Elimination (BO1, Finals BO3), hosted on Faceit.
- Up to 32 teams. Bracket and seeding are managed on Faceit by Respawn admins.
- Map veto follows the standard Faceit veto flow for the active CS2 map pool. (Exact veto order will be confirmed before the bracket is published.)
- Match start times are announced on Discord and on the Faceit championship page.
02Eligibility
- Open to all players unless previously banned from Respawn Gaming Lounge events.
- Every player must own CS2 in good standing (no VAC ban on record for CS:GO/CS2).
- Players may only be rostered on one team. A Steam account or Faceit account found on two rosters disqualifies the later registration.
03Team size & substitutes
- Rosters are exactly 5 main players + 1 bench (substitute) player.
- The bench player may swap in between maps, or mid-match only with admin approval (e.g. disconnect emergencies).
- Roster changes after registration require admin approval and are locked once the bracket is published.
- Stand-ins not on the registered roster are not allowed.
04Faceit & Steam account requirements
- Every player needs an active Faceit account with CS2 enabled, matching the username submitted at registration.
- Steam64 IDs submitted at registration must match the accounts used in matches.
- Accounts must be the player's own primary account — smurfing or account sharing is a disqualifiable offense.
- All players must join the Faceit championship lobby before check-in closes.
05Check-in
- Check-in opens 60 minutes and closes 15 minutes before the scheduled start, on Faceit and in the Discord server.
- All 5 main players must check in. Teams that miss check-in forfeit their slot to a waitlisted team where possible.
06Late / no-show policy
- Teams have 10 minutes from the official match start to be fully connected, after a 10-minute grace period the match is forfeited 0-1.
- Repeated delays across the event can result in removal without refund.
- If a server/platform issue is at fault, admins will pause or reschedule — admin word is final on what counts as a technical issue.
07Match rules
- Matches are played on the Faceit platform with standard competitive CS2 settings (MR12, overtime MR3).
- Pauses: each team gets 2 tactical pauses (30s) per map. Technical pauses require an admin or captain call-out in match chat.
- Score disputes must be raised with screenshots/demos before the next round of the bracket starts.
08Anti-cheat
- Faceit Anti-Cheat is mandatory for every player in every match.
- Any cheat detection, ban, or refusal to run AC results in immediate team disqualification without refund.
- Admins may request demos or a screen-share at any time. Refusing a review counts as a forfeit.
09Toxicity & behavior
- Hate speech, harassment, threats, or discriminatory language — in-game, in chat, or on Discord — leads to warnings, round penalties, or disqualification at admin discretion.
- Intentional throwing, match-fixing, or betting on your own matches is an instant ban from all Respawn events.
- Captains are responsible for their team's conduct, including the bench player and any supporters they bring.
10Payment & refund policy
- Entry fee is $50 / team, paid via Whish to the number shown on your payment page, with your registration code in the note.
- A team is only officially registered once an admin approves its payment proof.
- Full refund if the event is canceled by the organizers, or if your team withdraws before the registration deadline.
- No refunds for withdrawals after the deadline, no-shows, or disqualifications.
11Admin decisions
- Tournament admins have final authority on all disputes, including anything not explicitly covered by these rules.
- Rules may be updated before the event starts; registered captains will be notified on Discord of any changes.