CS2 2026 Calendar Full S-Tier Schedule Packed with Majors
Counter-Strike 2’s 2026 promises an entertaining season ahead for the teams and fans. Replicating 2025’s non stop tempo with S-Tier tournaments jammed shoulder to shoulder and any downtime in sight.
The calendar splits neatly into two grueling halves, each aiming towards a Valve Major pinnacle, the IEM Cologne Major (June 2–21, Germany; 32 teams across three Swiss stages, $1.25M prize pool), creating midsummer fireworks, and the Winter Major (November 30–December 13, location TBD, identical format and stakes) delivering a finale.
BLAST’s Bounty, Open, and Rivals circuits, ESL FACEIT’s IEMs and Pro League, plus PGL’s heavy hitters, capped by the unprecedented $2M Esports World Cup in Riyadh, a Saudi-backed, Valve-endorsed event that eclipses even Majors in riches. Hungry mid-tier squads will try and take the opportunities in FISSURE Playgrounds and StarLadder’s slimmed down roster (only StarSeries Fall confirmed).
First Half: Road to Cologne Major
- BLAST Bounty Winter: Jan 23-25, Malta, 8 teams, TBD
- IEM Kraków: Jan 28-Feb 8, Poland, 24 teams, $1M
- PGL Cluj-Napoca: Feb 9-22, Romania, 16 teams, $625K
- ESL Pro League S23: Mar 12-15, Europe TBD, 8 teams, $275K
- BLAST Open Spring: Mar 16-29, Rotterdam/Copenhagen, 16 teams, $400K
- PGL Bucharest: Apr 3-11, Romania, 16 teams, $625K
- IEM Brazil: Apr 20-26, Brazil TBD, 16 teams, $300K
- FISSURE Playground #3: Apr 20-26, Shenzhen, China, 16 teams, $450K
- BLAST Rivals Spring: Apr 29-May 3, Fort Worth, USA, 8 teams, $350K
- PGL Astana: May 7-17, Kazakhstan, 16 teams, $800K
- IEM Atlanta: May 11-17, USA, 16 teams, $300K
- CS Asia Championships: May 19-24, Shanghai, 16 teams, $400K
- IEM Cologne Major: Jun 2-21, Germany, 32 teams (3 Swiss stages), $1.25M
The Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne Major 2026 marks a big return to Cologne, Germany, after a decade, hosting Valve’s first CS2 Major of the year from June 2-21. Organized by ESL at the Lanxess Arena for playoffs (June 18-21), 32 elite teams will battle through three Swiss System stages, each with 16 squads, Bo1 matches until Bo3 decisives in a single elimination playoffs (Bo3/Bo5 grand final). The $1.25M prize pool crowns champions in CS’s “Cathedral,” expecting 50,000+ fans from 70+ nations.
Second Half: Winter Major Push
- FISSURE Playground #4: Jul 13-19, TBD, 16 teams, $800K
- BLAST Bounty Summer: Jul 31-Aug 2, Malta, 8 teams, TBD
- Esports World Cup: Aug 12-23, Riyadh, 32 teams, $2M
- BLAST Open Fall: Aug 24-Sep 6, Copenhagen, 16 teams, $400K
- StarLadder StarSeries Fall: Sep 17-20, Europe TBD, 8 teams, $250K
- PGL Belgrade: Oct 22-Nov 2, Serbia, 16 teams, $625K
- IEM China: Nov 2-8, China TBD, 16 teams, $300K
- BLAST Rivals Fall: Nov 9-15, TBD, 8 teams, $350K
- Winter Major: Nov 30-Dec 13, TBD, 32 teams (3 Swiss), $1.25M
Closing 2026’s blockbuster season, the CS2 Major Championship Winter runs November 30-December 13 (playoffs Dec 10-13), with the location still to be decided. Valve’s S-Tier spectacle sees 32 teams in the standard three stage Swiss format advancing top 8 per stage via Bo1/Bo3, feeding into Bo3/Bo5 playoffs.
A $1.25M purse awaits, with seeding from Valve Global Standings and regional qualifiers ensuring global depth.
Since: October 29, 2025
