The list of this year's best players will be announced from December 25.  

### Countdown to the Top 20  
That's right, once again, the most awaited moment of the year has arrived: HLTV's **Top 20 best players of 2024** rankings are about to start.  

This year, the rankings will kick off on **December 25**, when the name of the 20th ranked player will be revealed. After that, every day a new name will be announced, until the HLTV Awards night takes place on **January 11**.  

At the event in **Belgrade, Serbia**, many awards from the Professional Council, Community and Coaches will be presented, including the most prestigious title: **Player of the Year**.  

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### 2024 Top 20 announcement schedule  
1. **Player No. 1:** Announced at HLTV Awards (January 11)  
2. **Player No. 2:** Announced at HLTV Awards (January 11)  
3. **Player No. 3:** Announced at HLTV Awards (January 11)  
4. Announced on January 10  
5. Announced on January 9  
6. Announced on January 8  
7. Announced on January 7  
8. Announced on January 6  
9. Announced on January 5  
10. Announced on January 4  
11. Announced on January 3  
12. Announced on January 2  
13. Announced on January 1  
14. Announced on December 31  
15. Announced on December 30  
16. Announced on December 29  
17. Announced on December 28  
18. Announced on December 27  
19. Announced on December 26  
20. Announced on December 25  

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### Top 20 ranking criteria  
We have been more thorough in awarding individual awards at each tournament over the past year. This certainly gives you a better basis for making predictions, but to further clarify the evaluation process, here are some factors to keep in mind:

1. **Statistics:**  
   - Ranking based on statistics at important events during the year.  
   - Don't just rely on the final rating, but also use advanced indicators.  
   - Context is considered, e.g. performance in big matches, against the strongest opponents, and at prestigious tournaments.

2. **Awards:**  
   - The MVP (Most Outstanding Player) and EVP (Outstanding Player) awards at each tournament play an important role in the rankings.  
   - However, these prizes are not of equal value, because they depend on the quality and competition of the tournament.

3. **Sample size:**  
   - Performance is evaluated more accurately when the data sample is large.  
   - If a player does not regularly compete at the highest level, or has just joined the top level playing field during the year, their ranking will be affected.

4. **Recency bias:**  
   - It's easy to remember recent events, but the ranking evaluates the entire year fairly.

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### Events of 2024 are considered  
- **Super-elite:** IEM Katowice, PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen, IEM Cologne, Perfect World Shanghai Major.  
- **Elite:** BLAST Premier Spring Final, BLAST Premier Fall Final, BLAST Premier World Final.  
- **Big:** IEM Chengdu, ESL Pro League S19, IEM Dallas, Esports World Cup, ESL Pro League S20, IEM Rio.  
- **Medium:** BetBoom Dacha Belgrade, YaLLa Compass, BetBoom Dacha Belgrade S2.  
- **Non-award:** BLAST Premier Groups, IEM Katowice/Cologne Play-ins, Major Opening stages, RMRs.