We're off to the Playoffs! The 16 teams at the start of the Group Stage have whittled down to just six, with four teams taking the stage for the February 10 Quarterfinals.
IEM Katowice 2023: Natus Vincere vs Outsiders Quarterfinal schedule and betting odds
It's the beginning of the end of a fantastic IEM Katowice, which has been filled with shocking upsets and incredible Cinderella stories from start to finish.
The highlights so far include IHC Esports' incredible run through the Katowice Group Stage, as well as the unexpected downfall of FaZe Clan - Meaning that the defending IEM Katowice champions have not made it to the Playoffs, opening up the tournament considerably for the remaining teams.
And we still have plenty to look forward to as this year's tournament approaches its endgame, with the quarterfinals due to take place on February 10. Two more teams are up for elimination during the quarterfinals, with Natus Vincere (NAVI) and Outsiders kicking things off in a fight for survival at 14.30 GMT.
NAVI (1.64) vs Outsiders (2.28)
NAVI have found themselves in the quarterfinals following their 2-0 loss to G2 Esports in the Group A upper bracket final on February 7. It was a tough match for the Ukrainian team, with G2 claiming a decisive victory on both maps - taking Inferno with a score of 16-8, before closing out the series with a score of 16-7 on Nuke. Despite that bruising defeat, NAVI have performed well so far this tournament, having worked their way through the Group Stage's upper bracket with wins against the likes of IHC Esports and Team Liquid. It's a solid performance for the team, reigniting hopes that NAVI may once again make it back to their former glory days, which saw them dominating tournaments throughout 2021.
But they'll need to defeat Outsiders to stand a chance of making it to the February 11 semifinals. Outsiders have had their share of setbacks so far this tournament, having lost their debut match in the Group Stage to Fnatic, with a score of 2-1. They rallied once in the lower bracket, however, seeing off the likes of Ninjas in Pyjamas and OG to make it to the Group B lower bracket final - where they defeated Complexity Gaming with a score of 2-1. It's a solid run for the team, who last competed at IEM Katowice under their Virtus.Pro label, where they ranked in 5th-6th place, raising fans' hopes that they could improve on that performance this year.
The odds are in NAVI's favour here, at 1.64 vs Outsiders' 2.28.
NAVI or Outsiders - who are you supporting? There's only a handful of matches left to go at this year's tournament, so you'll not want to miss a moment. Make sure you follow along with each match right here on Luckbox - and while you're at it, why not take a chance of doubling your winnings with a Kato Bet Boost?
