Astralis Impress in Kraków Opener as NRG Upset B8 at IEM Kraków 2026 Play-In

Astralis Impress in Kraków Opener as NRG Upset B8 at IEM Kraków 2026 Play-In

The Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Kraków 2026 Stage 1 Play-In got underway on January 28, 2026, with a number of compelling series as 16 teams competed in a double-elimination bracket to secure one of eight spots in Stage 2.

Astralis Start Strong Against paiN

In one of the day’s early matches, Astralis faced Brazilian side paiN Gaming in a best-of-three upper bracket encounter. Astralis secured a commanding 2-0 victory over paiN, demonstrating control on both maps and setting the tone for their Kraków run.

• Map Scores: Dust2: 13-10 | Overpass: 13-7

• Standout Performer: Winter signing Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas was a constant thorn in paiN’s side, posting a tournament-leading 1.59 rating and the highest round impact in the series.

• Astralis took control early on Overpass after a slow start and carried that momentum through Dust2, using strong coordination and disciplined CT halves to nullify paiN’s pace.

paiN, who made roster changes in the offseason — bringing in Vinicius “vsm” Moreira and Guilherme “piriajr” Barbosa — showed flashes of promise but ultimately lacked the consistency needed to push Astralis to a decider.

NRG Pull Off Surprise Against B8

Later in the upper bracket, NRG Esports pulled off a notable upset by defeating B8 2-1 in a tightly contested series:

• Dust2: B8 took the opener 13-4

• Mirage: NRG responded emphatically, winning 13-2

• Inferno: NRG closed it out 13-11

American AWPer Josh “oSee” Ohm led the charge for NRG, posting elite numbers across Mirage and Inferno and helping swing critical rounds in his team’s favour. B8’s young lineup, featuring academy-call-up Mykhailo-Nazarii “segukawa” Bybel, showed potential but ultimately fell short on key rounds.

Event Structure & Context

IEM Kraków 2026’s Play-In Stage runs through January 30, with eight teams advancing to Stage 2, where they will join eight seeded teams for further group action. All Play-In matches are best-of-three and use a double-elimination bracket, giving teams a second chance after an initial loss.

The event is part of a wider Intel Extreme Masters season and features a range of teams from established organizations to rising contenders, all battling for Stage 2 positioning, ranking points, and prize share.

What’s Next

• Astralis will carry confidence into their next upper bracket matchup, aiming to lock in a Stage 2 berth with another strong performance.

• NRG’s upset positions them favourably in the bracket, but they’ll need to maintain momentum to avoid dropping to the lower bracket.

• Several other noteworthy ties are ongoing across the Play-In, with teams like Aurora, PARIVISION, Liquid, and Ninjas in Pyjamas all fighting for advancement.

Fans can follow live results on HLTV.org and official broadcast streams as the event unfolds over the coming days.

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Key Takeaways

• Astralis opened IEM Kraków 2026 with a solid 2-0 victory over paiN, powered by ryu’s MVP-calibre performance.

• NRG stunned B8 in a three-map battle to stay alive in the Play-In.

• The Play-In features a double-elimination bracket; eight teams will progress to Stage 2.