Liquid Dominate NiP in Kraków; 3DMAX Pull Off Comeback Against FUT at IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1

Liquid Dominate NiP in Kraków; 3DMAX Pull Off Comeback Against FUT at IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1

At the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Kraków 2026 Stage 1 play-in event, Team Liquid made a strong statement in their opening match by convincingly defeating Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) 2-0, despite running a stand-in player in lieu of their regular rifler. On a parallel stream, 3DMAX secured a resilient comeback win over FUT Esports, showcasing the depth and unpredictability of early CS2 LAN competition. 

IEM Kraków, running from January 28 to February 8, 2026 in Poland’s Tauron Arena, is one of the first premier Counter-Strike 2 events of the year, featuring a double-elimination play-in followed by group stages and playoffs — part of a $1 million prize pool tourney attracting many of the world’s top CS2 teams. 

Liquid Control the Upper Bracket

Team Liquid’s battle with NiP was a statement victory in Stage 1’s Upper Bracket round. NiP opened on Nuke with a brief T-side lead, but Liquid took control with a decisive comeback, closing the map 13-6 behind strong stand-in performances — particularly from Karim “Krimbo” Moussa, filling in for Keith “NAF” Markovic, who is absent from Kraków due to personal matters. 

Liquid followed up with Mirage, a more contested map early on. NiP’s Rasmus “sjuush” Beck pulled off a 4-kill round to swing momentum before halftime, but Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski took over in the second half, posting heavy impact and helping close the series. Official map statistics show Liquid winning both maps to close the series 2-0. 

This result puts Liquid into the Upper Bracket quarter-finals, where they are slated to face G2 Esports next — a best-of-three that will determine one of the eight teams to advance further toward the main stage of Kraków 2026. 

3DMAX Overcome FUT After Slow Start

On the B stream, 3DMAX staged an impressive comeback against FUT Esports in a tightly fought match. After falling behind early on Ancient, FUT looked poised to take control, but 3DMAX clawed back to win the map in overtime, capitalizing on critical clutch rounds late in regulation. 

FUT’s errors — including missed opportunities and even team-kills — compounded under pressure, and 3DMAX seized the advantage. They then closed out the series with a win on Dust2, making their play-in run noteworthy and setting up an Upper Bracket quarter-final match against BC.Game, another strong competitor at the event. 

Event Structure and Stakes

IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1 features a double-elimination play-in comprised of 16 teams competing for eight coveted spots in the main group stage. All matches are played BO3 (best of three), testing not only aim and strategy but endurance and adaptability under pressure. Teams sitting in the upper bracket after Day 1 have the advantage of needing fewer wins to secure progression, while lower-bracket teams face elimination with each loss. 

The play-in format has already seen multiple established sides eliminated, with teams like paiN, Legacy, B8, GamerLegion and NiP falling out early — opening the door for underdog squads like 3DMAX and Aurora to make deep runs. 

This opening phase not only determines who continues toward the tournament’s later stages, but also feeds into ESL Grand Slam standings and gives teams valuable LAN experience early in the CS2 competitive season. 

Broader Competitive Context

Beyond the matches themselves, IEM Kraków 2026 marks a crucial early-year benchmark for teams transitioning from 2025 results into the new season. With a mix of veteran rosters and emerging squads, the tournament’s outcomes will ripple through rankings and influence invites and seeding for upcoming majors. Analysts have highlighted Liquid’s more structured playstyle compared to NiP’s aggressive tactics, while several betting previews before the event saw Liquid as a moderate favorite in their opener. 

For Liquid, advancing strongly without a full lineup underlines their resilience and strategic depth. For 3DMAX, the comeback signals that lesser-ranked teams can pose real threats in CS2’s evolving competitive landscape. And for the event itself, Kraków’s Stage 1 promises drama and high stakes as roster dynamics play out under the spotlight of one of the CS2 calendar’s first premier LAN events.