IEM Katowice turns into IEM Kraków from 2026
It’s with some sadness, and much excitement, that I report on a big chance coming up next year for Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports fans. The iconic, annual IEM Katowice event will be replaced with a new event in Poland: IEM Kraków.
Yup, that’s right, Team Vitality won the final IEM Katowice event in CS2 history back in February this year. To be fair, it’s just a move from the Spodek Arena in the city of Katowice to the TAURON Arena in Kraków, but it does feel like a huge deal. Since 2014, Katowice has been an iconic location for some of the biggest events.
ESL announced the change, stating: “It’s time to write a new chapter in the history of IEM, as across February 6-8, 2026, the legendary tournament makes its move from Katowice to Kraków, Poland. The Tauron Arena host the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams for the first time, as they compete for the coveted EPT Winter Championship trophy, the ESL Grand Slam, and their share of $1,250,000 in total winnings.“
The VP of Product Development at ESL FACEIT Group, Michal Blicharz, explained:
“For almost two decades, Intel Extreme Masters has built a heritage full of emotional and defining moments in esports history. From the early days in Hannover to the rise of new legends in Katowice, every stop along the way has left its mark on our legacy. Today, as we begin a new chapter of this story, we look forward to continuing it with the world’s best gamers and esports fans, as they add new pages to it in Kraków, on a bigger scale than ever before.“
Check out the IEM Kraków 2026 trailer below:
You can take a look back at the iconic annual events running for over a decade with details on the dates, tournament names, years, winners and runners-up below.
| Year | Game | Dates | Winner | Runner-up |
| 2014 | CS:GO (EMS One Katowice Major) | March 13-16, 2014 | Virtus.pro | Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| 2015 | CS:GO (ESL One Katowice Major) | March 12-15, 2015 | Fnatic | Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| 2016 | CS:GO | March 2-5, 2016 | Fnatic | Luminosity Gaming |
| 2017 | CS:GO | March 1-5, 2017 | Astralis | FaZe Clan |
| 2018 | CS:GO | February 27 – March 4, 2018 | Fnatic | FaZe Clan |
| 2019 | CS:GO (IEM Katowice Major) | February 20 – March 3, 2019 | Astralis | ENCE |
| 2020 | CS:GO | February 24 – March 1, 2020 | Natus Vincere | G2 Esports |
| 2021 | CS:GO | February 18-28, 2021 | Gambit | Virtus.pro |
| 2022 | CS:GO | February 17-27, 2022 | FaZe Clan | G2 Esports |
| 2023 | CS:GO | February 4-12, 2023 | G2 Esports | Heroic |
| 2024 | CS:GO | February 9-11, 2024 | Team Spirit | FaZe Clan |
| 2025 | Counter-Strike 2 | February 7-9, 2025 | Team Vitality | Team Spirit |
We’ll miss you, IEM Katowice. Welcome, IEM Kraków!
Header image via ESL.
