IEM Krakow 2026 Main Stage Breakdown: Everything You Need to Know

Eight teams have made it through Stage 1 and will now join the eight invited teams in the IEM Krakow 2026 Main Stage to fight for a spot in the playoffs. The Stage 1 qualifiers include BC.Game, led by the legendary s1mple, PARIVISION, who just won the BLAST Bounty, plus Aurora, G2, and more.

These teams will now face top competition, including invited powerhouses like Vitality, Falcons, FURIA, Spirit, and others, all fighting for eight playoff spots.

The Group Stage will be played from January 31 to February 3, followed by the Playoffs from February 6, with the Grand Final scheduled for February 8. Below, we break down the Main Stage format, participating teams, favorites and underdogs, and the opening match schedule.

IEM Krakow 2026 Main Stage Format

Group Stage (January 31 – February 3)

• Two double-elimination format (GSL) Groups
• Each group has eight teams
• All matches are Bo3
• The top three teams from each group advance to the Playoffs:
• Group stage winners advance to the Semifinals
• Group stage runners-up advance to the Quarterfinals as the High Seeds
• Group stage 3rd place teams advance to the Quarterfinals as the Low Seeds

Playoff Stage (February 6 – February 8)

• Single-Elimination bracket
• All matches are Bo3
• The Grand Final is Bo5

IEM Krakow 2026 Teams, Favorites & Underdogs

Main Stage Favorites

Vitality, Spirit, FURIA, and Falcons enter the Main Stage as the clear favorites to reach the playoffs. Close behind are MOUZ and Natus Vincere, both of whom have shown a similar level of performance but with slightly less consistency over recent months.

Dark Horses

PARIVISION is somewhere between favorites and dark horses. They won the first tournament of the year, but still need to show they can keep up that level of play.

FaZe, TheMongolZ, and G2 all have plenty of experience and star players. Still, their inconsistent results last year and roster changes raise questions about how far they can go in 2026.

Underdogs

The rest of the teams are considered underdogs, mostly because they have less experience, fewer big achievements lately, or haven’t made deep runs at major events. Still, teams like Aurora and Astralis can definitely pull off upsets against top contenders.

BC.Game are also underdogs. Even though they have s1mple, one of the greatest players ever, it’s still unclear if he can get back to his superstar form and lead his new team to victory.

IEM Krakow 2026 Opening Matches Schedule

January 31

• TheMongolZ vs. G2 and Natus Vincere vs. PARIVISION starting at 14:00 CET
• FURIA vs. FUT and Spirit vs. Astralis starting at 16:30 CET
• Vitality vs. BC.Game and FaZe vs. 3DMAX starting at 19:00 CET

February 1

• MOUZ vs. NRG and Falcons vs. Aurora starting at 14:00 CET

How to Watch IEM Krakow 2026

The IEM Krakow 2026 will be streamed live for viewers worldwide. You can enjoy every thrilling moment at home, at work, or on the go. 

There will be official Twitch, YouTube streams:

• IEM Krakow 2026 Official Twitch Primary Stream
• IEM Krakow 2026 Official YouTube Stream
• IEM Krakow 2026 Official Twitch Secondary Stream

What to Expect from the IEM Krakow 2026 Main Stage

The IEM Krakow 2026 Main Stage is shaping up to be one of the most competitive phases of the tournament, with a strong mix of established champions, rising contenders, and unpredictable dark horses. With powerhouse teams like Vitality, Spirit, FURIA, and Falcons entering the fray, every match in the group stage will be crucial, leaving little room for mistakes.

At the same time, teams such as PARIVISION, G2, and FaZe have the potential to shake up expectations and challenge the favorites, making the road to the playoffs far from predictable. As the action unfolds from January 31 to February 8, fans can expect high-level Counter-Strike 2, intense rivalries, and plenty of surprises before the champions of IEM Krakow 2026 are finally crowned.