IEM Krakow 2026: A Confident Victory for Vitality

For the first time ever, the legendary IEM Katowice was held in a different city. This time, Kraków hosted 24 teams and thousands of fans at the TAURON Arena Kraków. The IEM Krakow 2026 format consisted of two stages, both played in a double-elimination format with best-of-three matches. The playoff stage followed a single-elimination format, while the Grand Final was played as a best-of-five series.

The total prize pool amounted to $1,000,000, with $400,000 awarded to the champions, Team Vitality, who lifted this trophy for the second year in a row. Below, we take a closer look at how the legendary IEM Krakow 2026 unfolded.

IEM Krakow 2026 – Stage 1: Opening Battles

The first stage of IEM Krakow 2026 took place from January 28 to January 30, featuring 16 teams starting their journey in the tournament. After the stage concluded, only eight teams advanced to the next phase, where they joined the already invited elite teams.

The Play-in stage passed without any major upsets. Teams considered favorites largely lived up to expectations and advanced further. However, there were some unexpected struggles from NRG Esports, FUT Esports, and BC.Game Esports, who, despite difficulties, managed to survive the first stage.

Among the teams expected to achieve better results were B8, Team Liquid, HEROIC, and GamerLegion. Despite relatively solid starts, these teams found themselves in the lower bracket, where they eventually lost their elimination matches.

IEM Krakow 2026 – Stage 2: Decisive Matches

The second stage ran from January 31 to February 3. Teams that advanced from Stage 1 joined top-tier squads such as Vitality, FURIA, and NAVI. Objectively, most fans and analysts considered Vitality, FURIA, Team Spirit, FaZe Clan, and NAVI to be the main favorites at this stage.

One of the biggest disappointments was the performance of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 finalists, who managed to secure only a single victory against BC.Game before losing to both 3DMAX and MOUZ. NAVI, despite winning their opening match against PARIVISION, suffered defeats against Spirit and FURIA.

Falcons were also unable to cope with the level of competition, finishing their run in 7–8th place. On a more positive note, G2 Esports successfully reached the playoffs but ended their campaign in 5–6th place. Considering the team’s previous results, this outcome can hardly be called disappointing.

IEM Krakow 2026 Playoffs Results

The final stage of IEM Krakow 2026, the Playoffs, took place from February 6 to February 8. After two intense stages, only six teams secured playoff spots:

• Vitality
• FURIA
• Aurora
• G2
• Spirit
• MOUZ

In the quarterfinals, FURIA defeated Aurora, while MOUZ overcame G2. The semifinals featured Vitality vs. MOUZ, where the French squad secured a comfortable 2–0 victory, and FURIA vs. Spirit, a tightly contested matchup in which FURIA confidently closed out the series on the decisive third map.

Grand Final: A Worthy Champion

On Sunday, February 8, two matches were played. The first was the third-place decider between Spirit and MOUZ, where Spirit claimed a convincing victory and secured third place, while MOUZ finished fourth.

The main event of the day was the best-of-five Grand Final between FURIA and Vitality. FURIA staged an impressive comeback on the opening map, Mirage, recovering from a 3:9 deficit to win 13:11. It seemed that such an aggressive start could allow FURIA to turn the tide of the series, but Vitality regained control and closed out the final with a 3–1 victory, becoming the champions of IEM Krakow 2026.

ZywOo earned his 13th CS2 MVP award, finishing the tournament as its best player with a 1.59 rating. IEM Krakow 2026 is part of the ESL Grand Slam circuit, and Vitality now need just one more ESL tournament victory to claim their second consecutive Grand Slam.

Surprises of IEM Krakow 2026

IEM Krakow 2026 delivered several pleasant surprises, especially during the early stages of the tournament. Among the biggest surprises were FUT Esports and BC.Game Esports, both of whom managed to advance past Stage 1 and reach the second stage. These teams were not expected to consistently survive the Play-in, yet they withstood the pressure, won key matches, and proved they can compete at a tier-one level despite their underdog status.

Another positive storyline was G2 Esports’ performance. The team reached the playoffs and finished in 5–6th place. Given G2’s inconsistent results in previous tournaments, their run in Kraków can be considered a step forward and a sign of gradual improvement.

At the same time, the event was not without disappointments. NAVI and FaZe Clan failed to pass the Stage 2 test and were eliminated early from IEM Krakow 2026. Both teams were viewed as realistic playoff contenders, but unstable performances and losses in decisive matches prevented them from realizing their potential.

Against this backdrop, Team Vitality once again confirmed their status as the strongest team of the season. The French squad continues to dominate the big stage and once again proved in Kraków that they currently have almost no equal.

FURIA, in turn, showed that they fully deserved their place in the Grand Final. The Brazilian team demonstrated resilience, confidence, and a fighting spirit until the very end, but even that was not enough to stop Vitality on their path to another trophy.

What’s Next After IEM Krakow 2026?

The break after IEM Krakow 2026 will be minimal — PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 is set to begin very soon. The tournament will run from February 14 to February 22 and feature a $625,000 prize pool. While it falls short of IEM Krakow 2026 in terms of prestige and scale, the Cluj-Napoca event remains an important part of the season.

Team Vitality will also participate, giving them another opportunity to confirm their dominance following their triumph in Kraków. For many teams, this tournament will serve as a chance to solidify form, refine their map pools, and prepare for even more significant events ahead.

Although PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 is less prestigious, it plays an important role in the competitive season and fits organically into the CS2 Schedule 2026. Events like these shape the overall picture of the year and can significantly influence rankings and invitations to top-tier tournaments.

Overall, 2026 promises to be an extremely intense year, and the PGL CS2 Events Calendar in 2026 only reinforces the idea that teams will need to maintain a high level of consistency throughout the season. IEM Krakow 2026 became a crucial reference point — and from here on, even more intrigue, battles, and big matches await us.