16 of the world’s best CS2 teams competed for $1,250,000 in Total Winnings as IEM returned to Beijing for the first time since 2019
Sunday, November 8, 2026, Beijing, China: Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Beijing 2026 has reached its conclusion with MOUZ lifting the trophy in front of a cheering crowd, following a dominant 3-0 victory over The MongolZ in the Grand Final. After falling short in the ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 24 Grand Final just a month earlier, MOUZ bounced back in Beijing to claim their first ESL Pro Tour (EPT) title since 2024. Following a week of relentless Counter-Strike (CS2) competition, MOUZ claimed the lion’s share of $1,250,000 in Total Winnings and secured their first point in the $1,000,000 ESL Grand Slam VII race.
Marking IEM’s return to Beijing for the first time since 2019, the tournament welcomed 59,000 fans to the Bloomage Biotech·Biohyalux ECM arena across six live competition days, becoming the largest standalone IEM event in Asia to date. IEM Beijing also saw a peak online viewership of 720,903* viewers worldwide.
Group Stage
The IEM Beijing 2026 Group Stage kicked off on November 2, with 16 of some of the world’s best CS2 teams competing across two groups for six coveted Playoffs spots. The opening stage delivered several surprises, with FaZe Clan, Team Falcons, and local favorites TYLOO among the teams eliminated before the Playoff Stage.
The MongolZ delivered one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, defeating FURIA 2-1 to secure a direct Semifinal spot and end the squad’s match-winning streak. MOUZ advanced directly to the Semifinals following their flawless Group Stage run, while FURIA, PVISION, Natus Vincere and BB Team secured the remaining spots.
Playoff Stage
The Playoffs took place on November 6-8, with six teams battling for a place in the Grand Final. NAVI secured their semifinal spot after a 2-1 comeback win over PVISION. In the second Quarterfinal, BB Team pulled off a 2-1 victory over FURIA, eliminating them after an overtime decider. The elimination marked a significant moment for Brazilian Counter-Strike legend Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, who made what is expected to be his final IEM appearance as a professional player.
In the Semifinals, The MongolZ continued their streak, defeating NAVI 2-0 to reach their first-ever IEM Grand Final. MOUZ extended their flawless run with a 2-0 win over BB Team to advance to the Grand Final.
Ahead of the Grand Final, NAVI and BB Team met in the third-place decider match, with NAVI securing the final spot on the podium.
Grand Final:
On Sunday, November 8, the Bloomage Biotech·Biohyalux ECM arena welcomed fans for a final match between MOUZ and The MongolZ. MOUZ were looking to secure their first EPT title since EPL Season 19 in 2024, and The MongolZ were hoping to make history by lifting their first IEM trophy.
MOUZ made a strong start to the series, taking Mirage 13:5, and extending their lead with a 13:6 win on Dust2. The team maintained their momentum on Inferno, claiming a 13:4 victory and ultimately winning IEM Beijing 2026 Grand Final 3-0 without dropping a single map throughout the whole competition.
Additionally, Dorian “xertioN” Berman received the DHL MVP award following his outstanding individual performance throughout IEM Beijing 2026.
The ESL Pro Tour for Counter-Strike will continue in 2027 with Intel® Extreme Masters Kraków, taking place on January 27 – February 7, where 24 of the world’s best teams will compete for $1,250,000 in Total Winnings, the coveted Championship trophy, and another point in the ESL Grand Slam VII race. For more information about IEM Kraków 2027 and the latest updates, visit the official website and follow ESL Counter-Strike on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
*According to escharts.com
IEM BEIJING PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE HERE & HERE
PRESS KIT IS AVAILABLE HERE
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