IEM Beijing 2026: CS2 heavyweights chase ESL Grand Slam points as Vitality and Spirit sit out

Intel Extreme Masters Beijing 2026 gets under way on 2 November and runs through to 8 November, with 16 Counter-Strike 2 teams competing for a $1,250,000 prize pool, according to Esports.gg News.

The tournament is split into two phases. A group stage runs from 2 to 5 November across two simultaneous broadcast streams, before the action moves into the Biohyalux ECM Arena for playoff matches from 6 to 8 November.

Each of the two eight-team groups is run as a double-elimination bracket, with three playoff spots up for grabs per group. The group winner advances directly to the playoff semi-finals, two further places come from the upper bracket, and only one qualification spot is decided through the lower bracket, Esports.gg News reports.

Beyond the prize money, winning IEM Beijing 2026 carries a point in the ESL Grand Slam series, a separate competition built around a $1million reward.

Two of the scene's strongest rosters are absent. Vitality and Spirit are both skipping the event, leaving the rest of the tier-one field to fight it out.

Group A features FURIA, NAVI, Falcons, Legacy, FaZe, HEROIC, B8 and The MongolZ, with opening matches pairing Legacy against The MongolZ, FURIA against FaZe, HEROIC against B8, and NAVI against Falcons.

FURIA arrive off the back of titles at the Thunderpick World Championship and PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 and are chasing a third consecutive win. Falcons, by contrast, have not lifted a trophy since their Cologne Major triumph and will be looking to show their form ahead of the Singapore Major.

NAVI endured a rough start to the Singapore Major season and only reached the playoffs at PGL Masters Bucharest, making this event a chance to reassert their tier-one credentials. Legacy's results have swung between major upsets and poor placements, while the rebuilt FaZe roster has yet to be tested extensively at a big event, per Esports.gg News.

Group B is made up of MOUZ, Aurora, G2, BetBoom, PARIVISION, Liquid, TYLOO and 9z. Confirmed opening fixtures include MOUZ against TYLOO, Aurora against Liquid, and 9z against BetBoom.

MOUZ are the outright favourites for the group and the tournament overall. They lost to FURIA at PGL Masters Bucharest but beat Vitality at the same event, underlining their current strength, Esports.gg News notes.

BetBoom head into the event on the back of strong showings at the Thunderpick World Championship and PGL Masters Bucharest 2026. PARIVISION have swung between deep runs at major tournaments and failing to qualify for finals, while Liquid have struggled through lower-tier events but showed signs of life at PGL Masters Bucharest.

G2 Esports arrive in a difficult stretch, having failed to win a single match at PGL Masters Bucharest. Aurora, meanwhile, are seen as genuine contenders to top the group after their refreshed roster showed improved synergy in recent events, according to the outlet's analysis.

ESL is broadcasting the full event across its official channels, with Stream A and Stream B available on the ESL Counter-Strike YouTube channel, and separately via the ESLCS and ESLCSb Twitch channels.