IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1 Opening Matchups Confirmed — Strong Field Kicks Off Poland Event

IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1 Opening Matchups Confirmed — Strong Field Kicks Off Poland Event

The opening round of Stage 1 at Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Kraków 2026 has now been officially announced, giving fans a first look at the initial confrontations that will shape advancement to the next phase of one of Counter-Strike 2’s most prestigious early-season tournaments. 

What Is IEM Kraków 2026?

IEM Kraków 2026 is an S-Tier Valve Tier 1 Counter-Strike 2 event organized by ESL, held from January 28 to February 8 in Kraków, Poland, with a total prize pool of $1 000 000 USD. This tournament marks a major stop on the early 2026 competitive calendar and serves as an important opportunity for teams to measure themselves against elite opposition in a tournament that is part of the ESL Grand Slam circuit. 

The event features 24 teams: the highest-ranked squads based on the January 2026 Valve Regional Standings (VRS) receive direct invites, with the lower half of that group beginning their journey in Stage 1. 

Format Recap

Stage 1 uses a double-elimination bracket with best-of-three (Bo3) matches, where the top eight teams will qualify for Stage 2, joining the top 8 seeded teams who skip the first round. From there, Stage 2 evolves into two groups of eight with further elimination rounds culminating in a playoff bracket. 

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Stage 1 Opening Round Matchups (January 28)

Here are the officially confirmed first-round fixtures for the beginning of Stage 1, all scheduled to play on January 28:

• Aurora vs. GamerLegion
  Aurora, seeded highest in Stage 1, will open against GamerLegion in a best-of-three LAN match that will test both squads’ early 2026 form.

• HEROIC vs. PARIVISION
  A clash between the experienced Danish side HEROIC and the Russian-region PARIVISION.

• Liquid vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP)
  A rematch of sorts following recent BLAST Bounty encounters, with both teams looking to kick off their Kraków campaign with a win.

• Passion UA vs. G2
  A notable matchup as Passion UA aims to upset the European powerhouse G2.

• Legacy vs. BC.Game
  One of the most talked-about matches in Stage 1 — BC.Game will make its LAN debut following its recent acquisition of the SAW core, taking on Legacy.

• FUT vs. 3DMAX
  Two teams known for aggressive playstyles — this Bo3 promises exciting CS2.

• Astralis vs. paiN
  The Danish org Astralis squares off with Brazilian side paiN in another intriguing first-round duel.

• NRG vs. B8
  Rounding out the opening matches, American roster NRG takes on Ukraine-based B8. It remains unclear whether B8’s AWPer Daniil "headtr1ck" Valitov will feature at Kraków, as his status is still undetermined at the time of writing. 

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Broader Context — What This Means for the Season

Elite Event, High Stakes

IEM Kraków is one of the first marquee events in the 2026 CS2 season, following the recently updated HLTV team rankings that now determine invites to events like Kraków, PGL Cluj-Napoca, ESL Pro League, and IEM Rio. 

Implications for Team Momentum

For teams like Liquid, G2, and Astralis, a strong performance here could signal early season momentum going into the group stage and playoffs. For emerging squads such as BC.Game and Passion UA, defeating higher-ranked opponents could establish them as dark horses on the international CS2 landscape.

Jump-On Point for Fans

With the first Stage 1 games kicking off on January 28, fans can expect intense competition right from the start, as 16 capable sides battle not just for advancement — but also for valuable Grand Slam points and prestige early in the calendar year.