Some fans are excited while others are confused after ESL announced that it will be moving the annual Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Counter-Strike event from Katowice to Kraków, Poland, beginning in 2026.
IEM is a prestigious esports tournament series organized by ESL and held across various countries across the world. These countries include Australia, Brazil, Germany, and Poland, to name just a few. The event has qualifying stages that decide which teams will go against each other and then the final event decides which team will the massive prize pool.
IEM Katowice has long been at the top of the series in terms of prestige and fan interest, and IEM Katowice 2025 ended with Team Vitality becoming the event’s champion and taking home a massive cash prize from the $1 million prize pool. ESL has announced that the event’s venue will change in 2026. The IEM event will still be held in Poland, but in Kraków instead of Katowice.
IEM Kraków marks the first high-tier CS2 esports event at the Tauron Arena since the PGL Kraków Major in 2017.
ESL’s decision to shift the location of the IEM from Katowice to Kraków will have a major effect on the host city. IEM Katowice 2019 reportedly contributed more than £14 million to the city’s economy. The CS2 event had a massive fan following which caused an influx of tourists in the city. The fans flocking to Katowice ultimately affected the city’s economy positively.
IEM Kraków 2026 Announcement Trailer
PGL had also planned to host an event in Kraków in 2027, but it was surprisingly shortly before it could come through. The IEM Kraków event will take place annually and the ESL has likely contracted with Tauron Arena on a new multi-year agreement. The arena being booked by ESL may be why PGL canceled its Kraków event.
24 teams will compete for a chance to qualify for a spot in the IEM Kraków, where they’ll aim to win a share of the $1.25 million prize pool.
IEM Kraków will take place from February 6 to 8, 2026 at Tauron Arena. But the competition will actually begin on January 27, 2026 when teams compete to qualify for one of six spots. The six qualifying teams will then advance to Tauron Arena to compete for a chance to lift the trophy and claim their share of the prize pool.
The IEM trophy will be on display from May 30 to June 2, 2025, at Galeria Krakowska, a shopping center in Kraków. From June 8, 2025, the trophy will be displayed at the Kraków City Hall for two weeks.
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