The Exceptional Performers and All-Star Lineup of IEM Kraków 2026

The Exceptional Performers and All-Star Lineup of IEM Kraków 2026

The inaugural Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Kraków 2026 delivered one of the most memorable Counter-Strike 2 performances in recent esports history, highlighting a mixture of individual excellence and historic viewership milestones. Following the climactic grand final on February 8, HLTV.org published its list of Exceptionally Valuable Players (EVPs) and the event’s All-Star team, recognizing six individuals whose performances stood above the rest based on in-game statistics and impact. 

IEM Kraków 2026, hosted in Poland at the TAURON Arena Kraków, replaced the long-beloved Katowice stop on the ESL Pro Tour calendar. With its new city and format, the event still carried significant prestige and a $1,222,000 total prize pool, drawing 16 top teams from around the world (16 LAN participants, including elite squads such as Team Vitality, FURIA, MOUZ and Team Spirit). 

ZywOo’s Record-Breaking MVP Performance

At the pinnacle of the event was Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut of Team Vitality, who not only earned HLTV’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade but did so with what was statistically his best Grand Event rating ever. The French AWPer achieved a 1.59 average rating, narrowly surpassing his previous personal best from ESL Pro League 19 in 2024. 

ZywOo’s dominance was evident across the event’s toughest matches: in the grand final, semi-final, and group stages he routinely posted ratings far above the tournament median — including a 1.68 in the semis and consistent map control that elevated Vitality’s play. With this award, he extended his storied career with an impressive tally of MVP medals, marking his 29th HLTV MVP in his competitive history. 

Other Standout EVPs

Beyond ZywOo, HLTV’s EVP list captured the following players who delivered exceptional performances:

• Danil “donk” Kryshkovets (Team Spirit) — continued to establish himself as one of CS2’s most dangerous riflers with a 1.43 rating across crucial matches, lifting Spirit to the semifinal stage.

• Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato (FURIA) — one of the key catalysts in FURIA’s push to the final, maintaining a 1.37+ rating across high-stakes matches. 

• Shahar “flameZ” Shushan (Vitality) — provided steady backup to ZywOo with consistent contributions, evidenced by an 80 ADR and crucial map-control stats. 

• Danil “molodoy” Golubenko (FURIA) — his explosive Mirage and Nuke performances, including 54 frags in a semis overtime, were among the most impactful individual maps of the event.

• Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov (Team Spirit) — sh1ro’s statistical output was among the highest for sniper roles, especially noticeable in the third-place decider, reinforcing his role as a top-tier performer.

• Lotan “Spinx” Giladi (MOUZ) — despite MOUZ’s earlier playoff exit, Spinx’s 1.32 map rating in key wins secured his place among the top individual performers.

These players, when combined with ZywOo’s brilliance, formed HLTV’s event All-Star lineup, representing both tactical firepower and statistical dominance on the Kraków stage. 

The Championship Run and Broader Impact

In the grand final, Team Vitality overcame FURIA 3–1 to secure the title, earning $400,000 as champions while FURIA took $180,000 as runners-up. In the third-place playoff, Team Spirit defeated MOUZ 2–0 to secure the final podium spot. 

IEM Kraków 2026 also significantly impacted the broader esports scene. According to independent metrics from Escharts.com, it became the most-watched non-Major Counter-Strike event in history, surpassing 40 million total hours watched and peaking at over 1.37 million concurrent viewers during the grand final. This viewership milestone placed the event among the ten highest-viewed CS2 tournaments ever and reaffirmed Kraków’s viability as an esports destination. 

Legacy and Competitive Context

For Team Vitality, the Kraków title marked a continuation of an astonishing period of consistent success; according to post-event analysis, it was their 10th Tier 1 victory in roughly a year, further establishing them among the most dominant rosters of the CS2 competitive era. 

ZywOo’s performance in particular set the tone for 2026, reaffirming his status as one of the best players in the world. Coming off a year that saw him battling for Player of the Year honors alongside other elite talents such as donk, ZywOo’s showing in Kraków was a powerful start to what could be another defining year for his career.