The tournament in Kraków starts with matches of smaller teams, which still have great ambitions and an amazing potential. It’s the first top-level event for BC.Game Esports of Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev.
We witness history in the making! For the first time ever, Intel Extreme Masters happens in Kraków instead of the iconic Katowice arena. Also, it’s the first LAN event of 2026 with Playoffs in front of a live crowd.
The Play-In stage of IEM Kraków 2026 features matches of 16 lower-seeded CS2 esports teams. They battle for eight spots in the group stage, where the top-most players join the competition.
How to watch IEM Kraków 2026 Play-In: Stream
The official ESL Counter-Strike YouTube channel broadcasts the Play-In matches of IEM Krakow 2026. You can watch the stream here, as it’s embedded above.
Play-In Schedule at IEM Krakow 2026
The Play-In stage at IEM Krakow 2026 starts on Jan. 28. Each day features a lot of CS2 esports matches. The detailed schedule is in the table below.
Estimated start Stream TBA Stream TBA | 11 a.m. CET / 5 a. m. ET, Jan. 28 Aurora vs GamerLegion HEROIC vs PARIVISION | 1:30 p.m. CET / 7:30 a. m. ET, Jan. 28 Astralis vs paiN NRG vs B8 | 4 p.m. CET / 10 a. m. ET, Jan. 28 Legacy vs BC.Game FUT vs 3DMAX | 6:30 p.m. CET / 12:30 p. m. ET, Jan. 28 Liquid vs NiP Passion UA vs G2 |
Matchups and results: IEM Krakow 2026 Play-In
The competitive format here is double-elimination brackets. Each of the 16 participating teams has a chance to advance to the IEM Krakow 2026 Groups after two wins. One loss is still allowed, but two such missteps mean elimination.
Final standings
Play-in placament | Team | Groups qualification | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st–4th | TBD TBD TBD TBD | + | TBD |
| 5th–8th | TBD TBD TBD TBD | + | TBD |
| 9th–11th | TBD TBD TBD TBD | - | $4,500 |
| 12th–16th | TBD TBD TBD TBD | - | $2,500 |
Upper brackets
Round 1 | Round 2 | Qualified teams |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora vs GamerLegion | TBD vs TBD | TBD |
| HEROIC vs PARIVISION | TBD vs TBD | TBD |
| Liquid vs NiP | ||
| Passion UA vs G2 |
Round 1 | Round 2 | Qualified teams |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy vs BC.Game | TBD vs TBD | TBD |
| FUT vs 3DMAX | TBD vs TBD | TBD |
| Astralis vs paiN | ||
| NRG vs B8 |
Lower brackets
Round 1 | Round 2 | Qualified teams |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs TBD | TBD vs TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs TBD | TBD vs TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs TBD | ||
| TBD vs TBD |
Round 1 | Round 2 | Qualified teams |
|---|---|---|
| TBD vs TBD | TBD vs TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs TBD | TBD vs TBD | TBD |
| TBD vs TBD | ||
| TBD vs TBD |
CS2 teams to watch out for during the Play-In stage of IEM Krakow 2026
Arguably, the main intrigue of this tournament stage at IEM Krakow 2026 is the return of Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev to the top competition. He joined the team BC Game Esports in July 2025 and helped the organization to grind for a decent VRS placement.
The current BC Game Esports roster was formed in January 2026, and their first results are not too cheerful. BC Game Esports finished last at the IEM Rio 2026: Global Qualifier.
PARAVISION start IEM Krakow 2026 with the Play-In stage, but this team already won a big tournament in 2026. They are the champions of BLAST Bounty Winter 2026: after defeating such huge opponents as Team Spirit, FURIA, and Team Falcons.
Passion UA and B8 were among the most prominent underdog teams at the Budapest Major 2025. PUA did not shine at Bounty 2026 Season 1. It’s the first big tournament in 2026 for B8.
Shaky favorites
Legacy and Aurora Gaming were strong throughout 2025, winning pretty big tournaments. Their current form is a question, though.
G2 Esports won BLAST Open Fall 2025, but their following results have been shaky. The team is still among the strongest at IEM Krakow 2026 Play-In: one of the favorites on any esports betting platform.
All Counter-Strike tournaments can be a source of big surprises! The Play-In matches may show us new shifts in the esports power balance.
The top teams join the IEM Krakow 2026 tournament with the Group Stage: it starts on Jan. 31. The grand final happens on Feb. 8.
