The Esports World Cup 2026 Counter-Strike 2 event will feature a record-breaking $2 million prize pool and double the number of teams to 32. With open qualifiers and all matches on LAN in Riyadh, it’s set to be the biggest CS2 tournament yet.
The Counter-Strike 2 event at the Esports World Cup 2026 will break records, featuring the largest prize pool in the game's history, $2 million. The number of teams will also be doubled compared to last year, from 16 to 32.
The event will take place from Aug. 12 to Aug. 23 and all stages of the competition will take place on LAN. Valve's Counter-Strike has been a focal point of the Esports World Cup since its inception in 2024, alongside Valve's MOBA Dota 2.
The Esports World Cup 2026 Counter-Strike 2 event will also include an open-qualifier taking place in the Esports Boulevard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This will determine 4 of the 32 teams competing in the event. The open-qualifier will come with a $100,000 prize pool of its own.
The $2 million prize pool for the main event is also tied for the largest ever in Counter-Strike history alongside the PGL Stockholm Major in 2021.
Invites and Qualification
32 teams will join Stage One of the tournament with VRS Rankings determining 27 of the direct invites. The first Global VRS Rankings in June 2026 will be used to determine these invites.
- 21 invited teams (Global VRS Rankings)
- Winner of Asian Champions League 2026
- 2 teams based on North American VRS (not in Top 21)
- 2 teams based on South American VRS (not in Top 21)
- 2 teams based on Asian VRS (not in Top 21)
- 4 teams from Open Qualifier
Format
- Stage 1: A 32-team group stage (4 groups of 8, double elim). Round 1 matches bo1, remaining matches bo3.
- Stage 2: A 16-team single-elimination bo3 playoff bracket with a bo5 Grand Finals.
Prize Pool breakdown
- 1st: $600,000
- 2nd: $340,000
- 3rd: $190,000
- 4th: $110,000
- 5th-8th: $60,000
- 9th-16th: $35,000
- 17th-23rd: $20,000
- 24th-32nd: $10,000
The Esports World Cup 2025 for Counter-Strike 2 was a magnificent tournament with plenty of twists and turns. From Spirit and Navi's early exits, to the rise of Aurora Gaming and the emphatic victory for The MongolZ. With a $2 million prize pool and 32 teams, this could well be the biggest Counter-Strike 2 event in 2026.
