IEM Kraków 2026 24 Teams Locked In for CS2 Showdown
ESL has officially confirmed the 24 team lineup for IEM Kraków 2026, marking the first major Counter-Strike 2 event of the year and the spiritual successor to the legendary IEM Katowice.
Every squad from the top 24 in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) as of early January accepted their direct invites, setting the stage for fierce competition in Poland from January 28 to February 8.
Tournament Format
The event kicks off with Stage 1, a 16 team double elimination bracket featuring teams ranked 9th to 24th in the VRS. The top eight advancers join the elite top eight (1st-8th) in Stage 2, split into two eight team double elimination groups. From there, six teams progress to the playoffs, group winners go straight to the semifinals, while runners up and third placers battle in the quarterfinals. It all culminates in a best of five grand final on February 8.
Playoffs will entertain the 20,000 capacity Tauron Arena in Kraków from February 6-8, with a massive $1,250,000 prize pool on the line including $1,000,000 in prize money and $250,000 in club shares. The champion pockets $460,000 ($400,000 prize + $60,000 club share).
Stage 1: The Challengers (9th-24th VRS)
Ordered from highest to lowest VRS rank, these 16 teams fight for promotion:
- Aurora
- B8
- Legacy
- G2 Esports
- Team Liquid
- 3DMAX
- Astralis
- PARIVISION
- HEROIC
- paiN Gaming
- FUT Esports
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Passion UA
- BC.Game
- NRG
- GamerLegion
Stage 2: The Elite Eight
These powerhouses start strong in Stage 2:
- FURIA
- Team Vitality
- Team Falcons
- Team Spirit
- Natus Vincere
- MOUZ
- FaZe Clan
- The MongolZ
From Hanover, to Katowice and now Kraków. The third chapter starts soon!
Here are your 24 teams that will appear at #IEM Kraków – our first ever ESL Pro Tour Championship event taking place in Kraków, Poland 🇵🇱
🟡 Stage 2 🟡
🔵 Stage 1 🔵📅 Jan 28 – Feb 8 pic.twitter.com/HuqCi33WCg
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) January 7, 2026
Since: October 29, 2025
