ESL Boosts the IEM China 2026 Prize Pool to $1.25M
ESL has overhauled its Club Reward structure, adding $250,000 from IEM Cologne into IEM China 2026 boosting total winnings to a Major matching $1.25 million and elevating Club Rewards to $950,000 for the season finale.
The shift ensures ESL’s $3.8 million annual Club Reward commitment across seven events stays intact, amid prep for a stacked 2026 CS2 calendar.
Cologne’s Major Status Triggers the Boost
IEM Cologne 2026 steps up as a Valve sanctioned Major with its own $1.25M prize pool but no ESL Club Rewards, as distributions fall under Valve control. The freed up $250K now has been added to IEM China, hiking its total from $1M ($300K prize + $700K Club) to $1.25M ($300K prize + $950K Club).
Payout Breakdown
Here’s the full split:
- 1st: $125,000 prize + $235,000 Club = $360,000
- 2nd: $50,000 prize + $160,000 Club = $210,000
- 3rd: $30,000 prize + $130,000 Club = $160,000
- 4th: $20,000 prize + $100,000 Club = $120,000
- 5th-6th: $12,500 prize + $75,000 Club = $87,500
- 7th-8th: $7,000 prize + $47,500 Club = $54,500
- 9th-12th: $5,000 prize + $20,000 Club = $25,000
- 13th-16th: $4,000 prize = $4,000
Third Straight Year in China: Nov 2-8, 16 Top Teams
Marking ESL’s third consecutive China event (post-Chengdu 2024/2025), IEM China 2026 hits November 2-8 with 16 top tier CS2 squads. Venue and city TBD, but expect fireworks as Asia’s powerhouse closes the year.
ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS):
In preparation of 2026, we are making an adjustment to the Club Reward available at #IEM China
Check out all the details in our blog post below 👇 pic.twitter.com/q0SyzZrU4l
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) December 30, 2025
Since: October 29, 2025
