The excitement is building for IEM Rio 2026! ESL has announced all the teams that will be competing in this major CS2 tournament. Starting April 13th, teams will fight it out over six days for a share of the $1 million prize in Rio de Janeiro.
ESL announced the teams directly invited to the tournament on January 15th, and also revealed which teams will compete in the first qualifying stages (GCQ and ACQ). These qualifiers will determine three more teams joining the event – two from the global competition and one from the Americas.
All Teams Confirmed for IEM Rio 2026 by ESL
ESL shared details on social media about how teams will qualify for IEM Rio 2026. Here’s a complete breakdown:
Direct Invites:
- PASSION UA
- FURIA
- Team Vitality
- Team Falcons
- Spirit
- Natus Vincere
- MOUZ
- Aurora Gaming
- B8
- Legacy
- G2 Esports
- Team Liquid
- 3DMAX
Global Closed Qualifier Invites:
- PARIVISION
- HEROIC
- FUT Esports
- BC.Game Esports
- GamerLegion
- BetBoom Team
- Gentle Mates
- HOTU
- fnatic
- EYEBALLERS
- K27
- 9INE
Americas Closed Qualifier Invites:
- Imperial Esports
- Fluxo
- BESTIA
- YNG Sharks
Several well-known teams didn’t participate, including Astralis, NiP, and FlyQuest, who quickly turned down their invitations. In the Americas qualifying tournament, PaiN, NRG, and M80 also chose not to compete.
The prize money at IEM Rio isn’t the only thing on the line. The tournament also significantly contributes to the ESL Grand Slam, which awards a $1 million prize to one team. This is the biggest reward in Counter-Strike 2, and it’s a major goal for many competing teams.
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2026-01-15 18:20