Upcoming ESL Pro Tour Counter-Strike 2 Events for 2026
ESL has unveiled an exciting new calendar for the ESL Pro Tour in Counter-Strike 2 for 2026, featuring a total of seven premier events that are set to elevate the competitive scene.
These tournaments will take place across six countries and four continents, blending IEM championships with two seasons of ESL Pro League and a CS2 Major. This structure is integrated into the overall Pro Tour ranking system, allowing teams to accumulate points and qualify through a combination of regional and global qualifiers throughout the season.
Here’s what you need to know about the ESL Pro Tour CS2 events in 2026.
The complete list of ESL Pro Tour CS2 events for 2026 is as follows:
| Event | Dates | Venue and Location | Teams | Total Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEM Kraków 2026 | Jan. 28 to Feb. 8 | Tauron Arena, Kraków, Poland | 24 | $1,250,000 |
| ESL Pro League Season 23 | March 13 to 15 (tournament starts on Mar 1) | Online and Annexet, Stockholm | 24 | $1,000,000 |
| IEM Rio 2026 | April 13 to 19 | Farmasi Arena, Rio de Janeiro | 16 | $1,000,000 |
| IEM Atlanta 2026 | May 11 to 17 | Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia, USA | 16 | $1,000,000 |
| IEM Cologne Major 2026 | June 2 to 21 | Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany | 32 | $1,250,000 |
| ESL Pro League Season 24 | Sept. 24 to Oct. 11 | Spodek Arena, Katowice | 16 | $1,000,000 |
| IEM China 2026 | Nov. 2 to 8 | China (city to be announced) | 16 | $1,000,000 |
Kicking off the CS2 calendar is IEM Kraków 2026, which takes over from Katowice as ESL’s early-year European event. Scheduled from January 28 to February 8, 2026, at TAURON Arena Kraków, this tournament will feature 24 teams competing for a hefty prize pool of $1,250,000.
Next up is ESL Pro League Season 23, the first EPL season of the 2026 Pro Tour, hosted in Sweden. This season adopts a streamlined format compared to previous years, contributing EPT points and seeding for the upcoming IEM events.
IEM Rio 2026 marks the return of the Pro Tour to Brazil, a key market for ESL in the CS2 scene. Running from April 13 to 19 in Rio de Janeiro, this event will host 16 teams and offer a $1,000,000 prize pool. It features both regional and global qualifiers, providing Brazilian and South American teams with more opportunities to compete on a major stage.
IEM Atlanta 2026 serves as ESL’s primary North American stop for CS2 in 2026. Set to take place from May 11 to 17, 2026, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, this tournament will see 16 teams vying for a $1,000,000 prize. Teams will qualify through a mix of regional EPT qualifiers and a global decider stage.
The IEM Cologne Major 2026 stands out as the flagship event of the ESL Pro Tour and the first IEM-branded Major in Cologne. Scheduled from June 2 to June 21 at LANXESS Arena, it will feature 32 teams and a prize pool of $1,250,000, falling under Valve’s CS2 Major Championship tier. This event is also part of ESL Grand Slam VI, making it a vital stop for top international teams.
Following that, ESL Pro League Season 24 will return to the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland, for its playoffs. Running from September 24 to October 11, 2026, this season will offer a $1,000,000 prize pool and culminate in a live-audience finals weekend in Katowice.
Finally, IEM China 2026 will wrap up the ESL Pro Tour CS2 season as the last IEM Masters event on the schedule. Set for November 2 to 8, 2026, in China, it will host 16 teams on LAN with a $1,000,000 prize pool. While the specific city is yet to be determined, this event continues ESL’s push to expand top-tier Counter-Strike into Asia, utilizing a mix of regional and global qualifiers to feed into the main event from various continents.
