A CS2 viewers’ guide to IEM Rio 2026
“Come to Brazil,” you say? Well, challenge accepted, as the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) series’ next huge event is, in fact, taking place in front of a passionate crowd in Brazil. Here’s what Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports fans must know so they don’t miss out on any of the IEM Rio 2026 action.
IEM Rio 2026 details
Hosted by ESL, the IEM Rio 2026 tournament takes place on LAN in Brazil, from 13 to 19 April 2026. The tournament’s Playoffs Stage will be held in front of a massive crowd at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, and we simply cannot wait to see the passionate crowd in action.
The world’s best teams are competing for their share of the $1 million prize pool. At the current Dollar to Rand exchange rate, that’s approximately R17.1 million to fight over. For Team Vitality, the ESL Grand Slam is also on the line, since if they win IEM Rio 2026, they’ll claim an extra $1 million.
A total of 16 CS2 teams are competing. Check out the complete list below, with teams sorted in no particular order.
Teams competing:
- Team Vitality
- NAVI
- FURIA
- Team Falcons
- Passion UA
- Team Spirit
- MOUZ
- Aurora Gaming
- Legacy
- B8
- G2 Esports
- Team Liquid
- Gentle Mates
- HOTU
- RED Canids
- 3DMAX
The IEM Rio 2026 event begins with a Group Stage, featuring two double-elimination format groups of eight teams each. All matches in the Group Stage are BO3, with the top team from each group advancing to the Semifinals. Runners-up and 3rd-place finishers advance to the Quarterfinals as High or Low seeds, depending on their placement.
IEM Rio 2026 comes to a conclusion in a single-elimination Playoffs Stage bracket, where all matches are BO3, except for the Grand Final, which is BO5.
CS2 esports fans can watch all the top-tier IEM Rio 2026 action live via the official ESL Counter-Strike YouTube and ESLCS Twitch channels. Stay tuned to Esports Central for a ton of CS2 esports coverage, including the results and a highlights video of IEM Rio 2026 when the tournament finishes up.
Header image via ESL.
