IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1 and Stage 2: Results and Key Tournament Trends

IEM Kraków 2026 has already delivered plenty of exciting matches and unexpected results. Stage 1 and Stage 2 proved to be a serious test for all participants: some of the pre-tournament favorites failed to cope with the pressure, while several teams managed to pleasantly surprise and make a strong statement on the big stage.

In this article, we briefly summarize how the first two stages of the tournament unfolded, which teams continued their fight for the title, and highlight the key gameplay and analytical trends that emerged ahead of the decisive phase of IEM Kraków 2026.

Best Outcomes From IEM Kraków Stage 2

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During Stage 2 of IEM Kraków 2026, GG.BET Bet Builder users demonstrated even higher engagement and efficiency compared to the previous stage. Analytics from several match days confirm that as the overall level of competition increased, users became more confident in combining multiple markets—especially those focused on individual player statistics.

On January 31, as many as 45% of users successfully placed winning Bet Builder combinations, which is an exceptionally high result for a multi-market format. The most popular match of the day was 3DMAX vs FaZe Clan. Most commonly, users combined markets such as match winner, Map 1 winner (including overtime), and individual player performance. The clear favorite among personal bets was Map 1 — ZywOo total kills over 16.5, once again highlighting bettors’ trust in consistent star players.

On February 1, Bet Builder efficiency increased even further, with 50% of users landing winning combinations. The most popular match of the day was FURIA Esports vs The MongolZ. The highest winning odds of the day reached 4.55 in the match between FUT Esports and G2 Esports. The winning combination was built entirely around individual statistics—Map 1 kill totals for cmtry, krabeni, and MATYS, along with a bet on total maps over 2.5. At the same time, the most popular individual market of the day was Map 1 — molodoy total kills over 14.5.

On February 2, user interest shifted toward high-profile matchups. The most popular Bet Builder match of the day was FaZe Clan vs BC.Game Esports. Notably, this day also featured the highest odds of Stage 2—8.85—in the match between 3DMAX and Team Vitality. The winning combination included eight markets, featuring Vitality to win Map 1 with a round handicap, as well as kill totals for apEX, Lucky, Ex3rcice, Graviti, Maka, and bodyy. This serves as a vivid example of how deep understanding of player roles and statistics allows bettors to build complex yet logical combinations. The most popular individual market of the day was Map 1 — NiKo total kills over 14.5.

Overall, Stage 2 confirmed a clear trend toward a more analytical betting approach. Users increasingly focus on predictable map flow, individual player form, and combinations of several interconnected markets. This creates an ideal foundation for even more intense and unpredictable matches in the next stages of the tournament.

IEM Kraków 2026: How Stage 1 Unfolded

The first stage of IEM Kraków 2026, held from January 28 to 30, featured 16 teams competing for a spot in Stage 2. After three days of competition, only eight teams secured their place in the main stage of the tournament.

Ahead of Stage 1, the main favorites included PARIVISION, Astralis, G2, Aurora, and 3DMAX. All of these teams lived up to expectations and advanced to Stage 2.

Teams that advanced to IEM Kraków Stage 2:

• NRG Esports
• G2 Esports
• 3DMAX
• PARIVISION
• FUT Esports
• Astralis
• Aurora
• BC.Game

Special mention should be given to NRG, FUT, and BC.Game, who managed to qualify for Stage 2 despite not being considered clear favorites. NRG secured two convincing wins against B8 and Astralis. FUT bounced back after a loss to 3DMAX by defeating Legacy and Liquid. BC.Game, who were seen as underdogs after a series of poor qualification results and Tier-2 tournament performances, finished Stage 1 with a 2–1 record, defeating NiP and Legacy and losing only to 3DMAX.

Teams eliminated from IEM Kraków Stage 1:

• B8
• Passion UA
• Legacy
• HEROIC
• NiP
• paiN Gaming
• GamerLegion
• Liquid

B8, Liquid, and HEROIC were eliminated surprisingly early. B8 failed to win a single match, suffering losses against NRG and paiN. Liquid were eliminated in a do-or-die match against FUT. HEROIC, similar to B8, lost to GamerLegion and PARIVISION.

IEM Kraków 2026: How Stage 2 Played Out

Immediately after Stage 1 concluded, Stage 2 began and ran from January 31 to February 3. The eight teams that survived the opening stage were joined by the giants of the scene in the fight for playoff spots.

The favorites—Vitality, FURIA, Spirit, and MOUZ —successfully confirmed their status.

Teams that advanced to the IEM Kraków 2026 playoffs:

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

At the same time, NAVI and FaZe Clan were major disappointments. NAVI managed only one victory, against PARIVISION, while losing to Spirit and FURIA. FaZe Clan, finalists of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, secured just one win against BC.Game and suffered defeats to 3DMAX and MOUZ.

Falcons also endured a difficult run, fighting through the lower bracket. In their decisive match against MOUZ, Falcons lost both maps in overtime.

Teams eliminated from IEM Kraków Stage 2:

• Falcons
• Astralis
• FaZe Clan
• 3DMAX
• NAVI
• FUT Esports
• NRG Esports
• BC.Game Esports
• PARIVISION
• The MongolZ

Notably, FUT, BC.Game, and NRG deserve recognition. Despite being eliminated in Stage 2, they showed strong character in Stage 1 and delivered competitive performances against top-tier teams in the second stage.

Key Takeaways from Stage 1 and Stage 2

Summarizing the results of Stage 1 and Stage 2, several conclusions stand out. Some teams that were considered underdogs before the start of IEM Kraków 2026 managed to surprise and advance to the group stage of the tournament.

In Stage 2, NAVI and FaZe Clan failed to meet expectations, often looking disorganized in key moments, which ultimately led to their elimination.

On the other hand, teams like FUT, BC.Game, and NRG demonstrated solid form on the Tier-1 stage despite fierce competition and gained valuable experience.

The decisive stage of IEM Kraków 2026 lies ahead—and Team Vitality look increasingly confident as they push toward their first major trophy of the new year.