Eight teams are left to battle for a spot in the EPL Season 17 Conference.

The latest edition of the ESL Challenger League has reached the playoffs stage, where eight teams will face off in a double elimination best-of-three bracket with $20,000 and a spot in the EPL Conference on the line.

Several strong teams have already found themselves eliminated after group play, with recent European RMR attendees K23, SAW, and ECSTATIC left to watch from the sidelines.

The highest ranked team still in contention are Sprout after FORZE were forced to withdraw due to their recent roster changes, and the Danish-majority side will be hoping to build upon their impressive play during the European RMR where the young squad secured themselves a Legends berth for the IEM Rio Major.

They may well be forced to contend with the best-rated player at the tournament so far, Rigon "⁠rigoN⁠" Gashi, if they are to find success, as they are on the same side of the bracket as Bad News Eagles. The Swiss rifler boasts a 1.39 rating after four maps of group play, and his teammate Flatron "⁠juanflatroo⁠" Halimi is not far behind with a 1.33 rating.

The other side of the bracket may very well bring further heartbreak to French fans as they could be forced to watch HEET and Falcons do battle, not long after the Nathan "⁠NBK-⁠" Schmitt-led Falcons eliminated Audric "⁠JACKZ⁠" Jug's HEET squad at the European RMR.

There is also a good chance for an all-Russian duel to take place, with Entropiq and 1WIN also occupying the same side of the bracket.

Action kicks off October 18 at 19:00 , but the English stream will begin at 19:30 with Bad News Eagles taking on 9INE. To see what casts are available for other matches, head over to the event page.

There is also a fantasy game open for ESL Challenger League Season 42 Europe, however bear in mind it is not part of the main fantasy season.

The opening playoff matches are as follows:

19:00 Sprout vs BLUEJAYS
19:30 Bad News Eagles vs 9INE

19:00 Entropiq vs Falcons
19:00 HEET vs 1WIN