IEM Kraków 2026 is an S‑Tier Counter‑Strike 2 LAN run by ESL, bringing 24 teams to Kraków, Poland to fight for a 1,000,000 USD prize pool from 28 January to 8 February 2026 at TAURON Arena Kraków. The event has finished its Play‑In and Group Stage, with six teams now locked into the IEM Kraków 2026 playoffs bracket that runs from 6–8 February. There is no confirmed champion yet as of 6 February 2026, but the full playoff layout, prize distribution, and eliminations are set.
| Match | Teams | Time (CET) |
|---|---|---|
| QF 1 | Aurora vs. FURIA | Feb 6, 15:45 |
| QF 2 | G2 vs. MOUZ | Feb 6, 19:00 |
| SF 1 | Spirit vs. QF 1 Winner | Feb 7, 15:45 |
| SF 2 | Vitality vs. QF 2 Winner | Feb 7, 19:00 |
| Final | SF 1 Winner vs. SF 2 Winner | Feb 8, 17:00 |
If you just want the short version: IEM Kraków 2026 uses the classic IEM structure (Play‑In, two GSL groups, then a six‑team single‑elimination playoff) with all playoff matches as best‑of‑3 except a best‑of‑5 grand final. Big names like NAVI, FaZe, and Astralis are already out, while squads such as G2, MOUZ, FURIA, Aurora, Team Spirit, and Team Vitality headline the playoff picture with quarterfinals starting on 6 February.
IEM Kraków 2026 format and dates
IEM Kraków 2026 keeps the familiar IEM structure that most CS2 fans already know from Katowice‑era events.
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Game: Counter‑Strike 2.
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Location: Kraków, Poland, with playoffs at TAURON Arena Kraków.
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Dates: 28 January – 8 February 2026.
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Teams: 24 total.
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Prize pool: 1,000,000 USD.
Stage structure
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Play‑In (28–30 January): Double‑elimination bracket, all matches best‑of‑3, top eight teams advance to the Group Stage.
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Group Stage (31 January – 3 February): Two GSL groups of eight teams, all best‑of‑3, top three from each group advance to the playoffs.
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Playoffs (6–8 February): Six‑team single‑elimination bracket at TAURON Arena, quarterfinals and semifinals best‑of‑3, grand final best‑of‑5.
The prize pool is heavily top‑loaded: first place takes 400,000 USD, second 180,000 USD, and third 100,000 USD, with rewards paid down through 21st–24th.
Stage 1 and 2 results: who is already out?
Play‑In and Group Stage have already delivered several big stories and surprise exits.
Play‑In highlights
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NRG, G2, 3DMAX, and PARIVISION topped the Play‑In and moved on to groups.
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Astralis, FUT, Aurora, and BC.Game also qualified from Play‑In despite starting from lower expectations in some cases.
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GamerLegion, Team Liquid, paiN Gaming, and Ninjas in Pyjamas went out in 9th–11th positions in the Play‑In standings and did not reach groups.
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HEROIC, Legacy, Passion UA, and B8 finished 12th–16th in Play‑In and also missed the Group Stage.
Big names eliminated in groups
Group Stage results pushed out several heavy favorites.
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Natus Vincere and FaZe Clan failed to live up to expectations and were eliminated in the groups after inconsistent series and key mid‑round mistakes.
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3DMAX, FUT Esports, PARIVISION, NRG, The MongolZ, BC.Game, and others also dropped out before playoffs, finishing between 9th–20th overall.
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Astralis and Team Falcons secured 7th–8th with 24,000 USD each after making it further than many mid‑tier lineups but still falling short of the arena stage.
An example of how brutal the bracket has been: MOUZ swept FaZe 2:0 to knock them out in the 9th–12th range, ending FaZe’s title hopes far earlier than fans expected.
IEM Kraków 2026 playoffs bracket and schedule
The IEM Kraków 2026 playoffs bring six teams to TAURON Arena Kraków in a compact, three‑day single‑elimination bracket. Group winners go straight to the semifinals, while the second‑ and third‑place teams from each group meet in the quarterfinals.
Playoff teams and bracket
Strafe and other outlets list the six playoff teams and their seeding into the bracket. As of 6 February, the schedule is:
Quarterfinals – Friday, 6 February
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Aurora Gaming vs FURIA – 15:45 CET.
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G2 Esports vs MOUZ – 19:00 CET.
Semifinals – Saturday, 7 February
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Team Spirit vs Aurora/FURIA winner – 15:45 CET.
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Team Vitality vs G2/MOUZ winner – 19:00 CET.
Final day – Sunday, 8 February
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Third‑place decider – 13:00 CET.
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Grand final (Bo5) – 17:00 CET.
The exact final placements from 1st–6th are not yet known as the playoffs are still being played, but prize distribution and format are fully locked in.
Prize pool and placements so far
While the champion is undecided, prize money for teams already eliminated is confirmed across official hubs and event partners.
Confirmed prize distribution (top end)
| Place range | Prize (USD) | Status as of 6 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 400,000 | To be decided in grand final. |
| 2nd | 180,000 | To be decided. |
| 3rd | 100,000 | To be decided (third‑place match). |
| 4th | 60,000 | To be decided. |
| 5th–6th | 40,000 | To be decided (quarterfinal losers). |
Below that, Astralis and Team Falcons have already locked in 7th–8th with 24,000 USD each, while NAVI, FUT, 3DMAX, and FaZe sit in 9th–12th for 16,000 USD. NRG, Parivision, The MongolZ, and BC.Game occupy 13th–16th with 10,000 USD; paiN, GamerLegion, NiP, and Liquid are 17th–20th with 4,500 USD; B8, Legacy, Passion UA, and HEROIC round out 21st–24th with 2,500 USD.
