Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Cologne: ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading esports and video game entertainment company, today announced that Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) will return to Brazil, the United States, and China in 2026. The world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams will compete for $1,000,000 in total winnings per tournament, coveted VRS points, and glory across three continents.
Key highlights for IEM events in 2026 include:
- Intel® Extreme Masters Brazil 2026
- April 13-19, 2026
- Intel® Extreme Masters USA 2026
- May 11-17, 2026
- Intel® Extreme Masters China 2026
- November 2-8, 2026
Following the recent announcement that EFG will move its most historic IEM tournament from Katowice to Kraków next year, 2026 promises unforgettable CS action and intense competition to fans and players from around the globe.
Teams will also continue the ESL Grand Slam (EGS) VI race that began at IEM Dallas 2025. The iconic gold bars, $1,000,000, and a permanent legacy in CS history will once again be awarded to the first team to win three ESL Pro Tour Masters tournaments and one EPT Championship tournament (Kraków, Cologne, or an ESL-operated CS Major) inside a span of ten consecutive events.
More information on slot distribution, global and local qualifiers, and tournament format is available in the official blog post HERE.
More details will be available at a later date. For more information, follow ESL CS on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
