Summary:
- The IEM Krakow 2026 Playoffs start on February 6, with six teams competing for a place in the Grand Final on February 9.
- Team Spirit and Team Vitaly go straight to the semi-finals, while the other four teams must play in the quarter-finals first.
- The winner of the tournament will receive $400,000 out of the $1 million prize pool.
Only six teams remain in IEM Krakow now that the group stage is over. These teams move on to the Playoffs, which start on February 6 at TAURON Arena in Krakow, Poland. Over three days, they will battle for the CS2 championship and a big part of the $1 million prize. Which team are you rooting for? Here’s everything to know about the Playoffs.
LIST: All Qualified Teams on the IEM Krakow 2026 Playoffs Bracket
Out of the 24 teams that joined Intel Extreme Masters Krakow, only six teams made it to the final stage of the tournament (the playoffs).
Three teams qualified from each group in the Group Stage. The teams that advanced are:
- Aurora Gaming
- FURIA
- G2 Esports
- MOUZ
- Team Spirit
- Team Vitality
In Group A, Team Spirit placed first, followed by G2 Esports and FURIA. Meanwhile, in Group B, Team Vitality finished on top, and Aurora Gaming and MOUZ took the last playoff spots..
Playoffs Format: How the Bracket Works
Teams in the IEM Krakow 2026 Playoffs bracket are divided into two. Those teams with direct semi-final spots and teams that must play extra matches. The group winners, Spirit and Vitality, earned a big advantage by skipping the quarter-finals and going straight to the semi-finals.
The other four teams must compete in single-elimination quarter-finals, where one loss means elimination. Most playoff matches are best-of-three, so a team needs two map wins to advance, while the grand final is best-of-five, requiring three map wins to claim the championship.
Opening Matchups and Semi-finals Teams
The quarter-finals are fast and very intense because it’s single elimination, meaning one loss and you’re out. Only two teams will move on, while the other two will lose their chance to reach the Grand Finals.
Aurora Gaming vs FURIA
This matchup opens the quarter-finals with plenty of hype. Aurora looks confident after strong wins over Falcons and MOUZ. Even though they narrowly lost to Vitality earlier, their recent form shows they can challenge any team left. Meanwhile FURIA, had fought through the lower bracket despite dropping an early match to FUT Esports. Their top ranking in February’s Valve Regional Standings proves they’re still among the world’s best.
G2 Esports vs MOUZ
The second quarter-final matchup is G2 Esports vs MOUZ. G2 has been consistent all tournament and even pushed Spirit into overtime on a key map. On the other hand, MOUZ has also impressed with their toughness, sweeping FaZe Clan and narrowly beating Falcons.
The Semi-Finals and Beyond
The teams that win in the quarter-finals will move on to play the top teams from the group stage. The winner of Aurora vs FURIA will face Spirit, while the winner of G2 vs MOUZ will go up against Vitality. The IEM Krakow 2026 Playoffs will also have a third-place match before the grand final. That way, every team still has something to fight for until the very end, making every game important.
Complete Schedule of Matches
Ready for all the matches? Here’s a full schedule of the upcoming games, including quarter-final matches, the third-place decider, and the grand final: (All times in CET / ET / PT / KST)
| Quarter-finals | ||
| February 6 | Aurora Gaming vs FURIA | 3:45 PM CET / 9:45 AM ET / 6:45 AM PT / 11:45 PM KST |
| G2 Esports vs MOUZ | 7:00 PM CET / 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT / 4:00 AM KST (Feb 7) | |
| Semi-finals | ||
| February 7 | Team Spirit vs TBD | 3:45 PM CET / 9:45 AM ET / 6:45 AM PT / 11:45 PM KST |
| Team Vitality vs TBD | 7:00 PM CET / 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT / 4:00 AM KST (Feb 8) | |
| Third-place decider | ||
| February 8 | TBD vs TBD | 1:00 PM CET / 7:00 AM ET / 4:00 AM PT / 8:00 PM KST |
| Grand Finals | ||
| February 8 | TBD vs TBD | 5:00 PM CET / 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM PT / 12:00 AM KST (Feb 9) |
Conclusion
Following in the footsteps of the famous IEM Katowice, IEM Krakow is bringing its own share of excitement. Top Counter-Strike teams are battling it out in intense matches for glory and the largest share of the $1 million prize pool. Both well-known and underdog teams are competing for the same goal. With only six teams left, it won’t be long before we see who rises to the top. One thing is certain: whoever wins the first IEM Krakow title will have truly earned it.
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