The professional scene is back from winter break, which means cool tournaments are waiting for us very soon. The first one will be Intel Extreme Masters Krakow, which has replaced IEM Katowice but is just as important. Today, the CS.MONEY Blog will tell you everything you need to know about IEM Krakow 2026.
You might just be a viewer at esports tournaments, but on the server, you have to be a star! Shine with bright skins, and CS.MONEY will help you not to overpay.
When is IEM Krakow 2026? Will there be IEM Katowice? What is the prize pool?
IEM Krakow 2026 will take place in the Polish city of Krakow from January 28 to February 8. It replaces IEM Katowice, which, let’s be honest, has already outgrown its small city and not-so-large arena. The IEM Krakow playoffs will be held at Tauron Arena, which can host up to 22,000 spectators. We are expecting an amazing atmosphere.
The tournament is part of the Grand Slam, which means hunters for a million dollars will play especially hard. Given that in 2026 there are two tournaments where winning is mandatory to get the gold bars, and IEM Krakow is one of them, we expect very tight matches. By the way, the current leader of the race for the million is Team Vitality, and they desperately need to lift the trophy.
But even if we put aside the ESL Grand Slam, a million dollars is at stake for the Krakow tournament itself, and 400 thousand will go to the champions.
Format of IEM Krakow 2026
The tournament is divided into three stages: Play-in, Group Stage, and Playoffs. Teams seeded 9-24 participate in the Play-in, and they play two or three matches against each other. Each team is allowed one loss, and two wins are enough to move on to the Group Stage.
The Group Stage of IEM Krakow 2026 follows the classic ESL format. But if you have been living deep in the forest without the internet, here is how it works. Sixteen teams are divided into two groups and play in a Double Elimination bracket. The winners of the upper bracket advance straight to the semifinals. The loser of the upper bracket final and the winner of the lower bracket also make the playoffs. These teams enter the quarterfinals as the second and third seeds. Everyone else is out.
The Playoffs are played in a Single Elimination format. Quarterfinals, semifinals, and the third-place match are Best of 3, while the grand final is played as a Best of 5.
Teams at IEM Krakow 2026
A total of 24 teams will travel to Krakow. Eight of them will start directly from the second stage:
- Team Vitality
- FURIA
- Team Falcons
- Team Spirit
- Natus Vincere
- MOUZ
- FaZe Clan
- The MongolZ
With a high chance, the tournament winner will come from this group of eight teams. The biggest favorites are, of course, Team Vitality, the best team of 2025.
The remaining teams will start in the Play-In:
- Aurora Gaming
- G2 Esports
- Team Liquid
- Astralis
- Parivision
- Heroic
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- BC.Game Esports
- B8
- Legacy
- 3DMAX
- Pain Gaming
- FUT Esports
- Passion UA
- NRG
- GamerLegion
The biggest storyline of the Play-In will be BC.Game. Legendary players s1mple and electronic are returning together with a Portuguese trio. The team badly needs VRS ranking points, and the IEM Krakow Play-In is the perfect place to get them.
A lot of exciting matches are ahead of us. Follow our social media to make sure you don’t miss anything important from the world of Counter-Strike!
