The ESL Grand Slam VII race is set to begin with IEM Atlanta 2026
Sunday, April 19, 2026, Rio de Janeiro: Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Rio 2026 has concluded with Team Vitality lifting the coveted trophy and etching their names into the record books. Following their 3-0 win over Team Spirit, Team Vitality became the first team in Counter-Strike history to secure back-to-back ESL Grand Slam (EGS) titles. The achievement highlights their dominance and earns the team an additional $1,000,000 bonus for their second EGS win in record time.
Additionally, Robin ‘ropz‘ Kool becomes the first player in history to win three ESL Grand Slam titles. Previously, he was tied with Russel ‘Twistzz’ Van Dulken, when both held two ESL Grand Slam titles.
Returning to the heart of South America after two years, IEM Rio 2026 welcomed 26,000 fans from Brazil and beyond to the sold-out Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, where Team Vitality lifted the trophy and claimed the lion’s share of $1,000,000 in Total Winnings. The tournament also drew a peak online viewership, surpassing 1.1 million viewers worldwide.
Group Stage:
IEM Rio 2026 kicked off on April 13, where 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) teams went head-to-head over three action-packed days. With only six Playoffs spots up for grabs, the pressure was on the local teams FURIA, Legacy, and RED Canids, all eager for a chance to showcase their skills in front of a passionate home crowd. Adding to the intensity, Team Vitality entered the competition just one win away from securing their second ESL Grand Slam title, raising the stakes for all participating squads.
Team Falcons and FURIA stormed through their respective brackets with dominant 3-0 records, securing direct spots in the Semifinals. Close behind, Team Vitality and MOUZ advanced to the Quarterfinals with strong 2-1 scores. Lastly, Natus Vincere and Team Spirit fought their way through the lower bracket to complete the Playoff lineup.
Playoffs:
On April 17-19, IEM Rio 2026 reached its climax as the Playoff Stage brought together the six best teams from the Group Stage to compete in front of a live audience. First up, Team Spirit eliminated MOUZ 2-0 in a dominant fashion. In the second quarterfinal match, Team Vitality, the recent IEM Kraków Champions, advanced to the Semifinals with a 2-0 win over NAVI, the 2024 IEM Rio title holders.
The IEM Rio Semifinals featured two highly anticipated matches that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. In the opening Semifinal, Team Spirit continued their strong Playoff run by defeating Team Falcons 2-0 to win the first Grand Final spot. The second Semifinal brought together two giants, Team Vitality and fan favorites FURIA, with both teams vying to secure the remaining place in the Grand Final. Despite the overwhelming support of the home crowd, FURIA’s IEM Rio run came to an end as Team Vitality secured a 2-0 victory, booking their place in the final.
Before the Grand Final, Team Falcons took the win against FURIA in the third-place decider match.
Grand Final
On April 19, the Farmasi Arena filled up with fans eager to witness the crowning of the new IEM Rio Champion. The Grand Final set the stage for a long-awaited rematch between Team Vitality and Team Spirit. The last time the two teams met on the IEM stage was at IEM Katowice 2025, where Team Vitality denied their opponents a second consecutive championship trophy.
The IEM Rio 2026 Grand Final kicked off with Team Spirit taking an early lead on Mirage, but Team Vitality managed to regain control and bring the match to overtime before closing out the map 16:13. Nuke saw Team Spirit gain the upper hand in the first half, but Vitality fought back to ultimately claim a 13:10 win. With only one map separating them from victory, Team Vitality focused on closing the series on Dust2. Team Vitality rose to the occasion, winning the map 13:5 and becoming the IEM Rio 2026 Champions. The IEM Rio victory marks the first time in Counter-Strike history that a team has secured back-to-back ESL Grand Slam titles.
“I think we’re the only lineup to ever win two ESL Grand Slams. […] We enjoy so much what we’re doing and know how lucky we are to have this team. We understand each other so well, we work so well, and it’s unbelievable. For me, the ESL Grand Slam is harder to win than a Major, so there is no doubt that we are the best team in history right now,” said Dan “apEX” Madesclaire.
Following Team Vitality’s spectacular win, the ESL Grand Slam VII race is set to begin at IEM Atlanta on May 11-17. The world’s best CS2 teams will once again have the chance to secure the iconic gold bars, the $1,000,000 prize, and a permanent place in Counter-Strike history. The award will be claimed by the first team to win three EPT Masters tournaments and one EPT Championship tournament (Kraków, Cologne, or an ESL-operated CS2 Major) within a span of ten consecutive events.
For more information about the ESL’s Counter-Strike ecosystem, go to the official website or follow ESL CS on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
*according to escharts.com
IEM Rio 2026 photos are available HERE.
