IEM Kraków 2026 CS2 Playoffs Begin

The playoffs of the IEM Kraków 2026 Counter-Strike 2 tournament began on Friday at the TAURON Arena in Kraków, Poland, where six elite teams are competing for a $1 million prize pool and crucial Valve Regional Standings points ahead of the IEM Cologne Major in June. Team Vitality and Team Spirit advanced directly to the semifinals after topping their respective groups, while FURIA, Aurora Gaming, G2 Esports and MOUZ face off in the quarterfinals starting February 6.

The event marks the first arena-stage competition of the 2026 season, drawing a field of top-tier squads to the 22,000-capacity venue. In Group A, Team Spirit secured the top seed despite a narrow loss to G2 Esports, relying on standout performances from rifler Danil "donk" Kryshkovets to edge out the competition. The Russian squad's recent roster adjustments, including the reinstatement of Boris "magixx" Vorobiev as in-game leader, have revitalized their play following a dip in form late last year. G2, meanwhile, advanced from the group stage after pushing Spirit close, showcasing improved tactical depth under Nemanja "huNter" Kovač. The European roster, unchanged since last summer, claimed a key victory at BLAST...