IEM Beijing 2026 begins with 16 teams and a $1.25 million prize pool
The Counter-Strike 2 event in Beijing features two groups and six playoff places.
SHOT editorial team1 min read
Sixteen teams began their IEM Beijing 2026 campaigns on November 2 with $1.25 million in total prize money at stake.
The field in Beijing
IEM Beijing 2026 runs from November 2 through November 8. The event has a 16-team field competing for a total prize pool of $1.25 million.
Group A contains Legacy, The MongolZ, HEROIC, B8, FURIA, FaZe, NAVI and Falcons. Group B features 9z, Aurora, BETBOOM, G2, Liquid, MOUZ, PARIVISION and TYLOO.
The route to the playoffs
Each eight-team group uses a double-elimination bracket. The top three teams from each group advance, creating a six-team playoff field. Group winners move directly into the semifinals, while the second- and third-place finishers enter in the quarterfinals. The format therefore gives the upper-bracket matches extra weight: staying unbeaten not only provides protection during the group stage but can also remove an entire playoff round from a team’s path to the title.
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