The opening rounds of Stage 1 at IEM Kraków 2026 CS2 were a bit brutal. The two primary competitors were represented by the IEM X1 (fierce rivalry). 3DMAX, G2, and Liquid had excellent performance on all three fronts, however B8 and Heroic — the old guard of powerhouses — were surprisingly eliminated during this time frame. Matches data, interesting games, and the current status are taken into account in this article.
Sparks First Appearance On Stage: A Stage 1 Landscape Defined
IEM Kraków 2026 took place from January 28 to 30th, 2026 at the Kraków TAURON Arena in Poland. This is one of the first major LAN tournaments of CS2 2026, where 24 teams compete for a $1,000,000 prize pool. Stage 1 (i.e Play-In): Double-elimination: 16 mid-to-lower-ranked teams compete for eight precious spots in the above stages. Stage 1 has a prize pool of $28,000 USD, and BO3 (Best-Of-Three) matches with replay points for consistency across matches and tactical depth.
Key Match Recap and Data
The current stage results are as follows. This includes both leader rankings and key highlights for winning and losing (the most recent record in the game).
3DMAX’s Comeback Shows Surprising Strength
3DMAX delivered a strong comeback in their series against FUT Esports. On the first map, Ancient, they fell behind by 13-16, but quickly bounced back and tied on Anubis – forcing them into overtime, which they overcame to finish their way to a much-needed 16-13 win. They subsequently dominated Dust2 to win the match 13-5, finishing with another comeback to press on. The win speaks of 3DMAX’s versatility: mid-tier teams can compete in the main event.
Liquid definitively beats NIP, then narrowly loses to G2
In another well-anticipated match, Team Liquid has beaten Ninjas in Pyjamas 2-0 (13-6, 13-8) in the first round of the playoffs. Even with substitute player Krimbo showing tremendous ability, the team’s overall plan was executed well. But in the next upper bracket quarters, Liquid was attacked by a serious counterattacking force by G2 Esports, losing 1-2 (14-16 in the final map), and not progressing to the main round. G2’s progression means they have a more advantageous psychological advantage going into Stage 2, but Liquid would face competition for the second spot in the lower bracket.
Traditional Powerhouses Under Stress: Heroic and B8 Fall Early
The previously strong European team Heroic was shocked by scoring 1-2 to PARIVISION that failed to put themselves ahead in the playoffs first round. The three maps’ scores indicate the match’s intensity (Inferno 6-13, Dust2 13-6, Ancient 6-13). In addition, the do-or-die competition saw B8 from Ukraine suffer a 2-0 defeat against paiN Gaming, exiting the tournament early. It’s obvious from these results how very competitive IEM Kraków is, with teams even those with more than 20 years of tournament experience cannot afford to secure a quick entry to the finals.
Eight-Way Battle Initially Set
The key qualifying trends at this stage are now clear:
Teams that have already qualified for Stage 2 (the top eight): G2 Esports, 3DMAX and other teams in particular, have made extraordinary progress.
Teams on the Edge of Qualification and in the Lower bracket: Liquid, FUT, Passion UA and others will all play in the lower bracket to decide where the rest go next.
Teams Already Excluded: Not so great: B8, Heroic, PaiN, GamerLegion – disappointed.
Relevance and Strategic Importance of the Professional Season
IEM Kraków 2026 isn’t just one tournament, it’s a critical moment in the CS2 season map. Ranking points will impact Valve’s Regional Ranking (VRS) directly, which in turn will influence invitational seeding and ultimately their ranking on their own in the major tournaments, leading to the overall season value being impacted. So if mid-tier squads, notably G2 and 3DMAX, can reach the main event and advance more, they will carry a greater competitiveness in future Majors or commercial invitationals.
A New Landscape is Being Formed!
The general trends are summarised below as IEM Kraków 2026 Stage 1 comes to a close:
✔ No Longer Invincible Strong Teams: Heroic and B8 early departures illustrate the unpredictability of the occasion.
✔ Dark Horse Teams Take Form: The season peaks with the victory of 3DMAX’s comeback.
✔ Tier-1 Teams Continue to Have an Edge (in any case): G2’s further evolution makes them superior and Liquid is still a very strong company, overall.
✔ The Top 8 Competition stays Open: The Lower Bracket still provides a variety of teams with an opportunity to progress into Stage 2.
With more thrilling matches to come, as well as changes in the regional team rankings along these axes, in addition to further competition for spots, and it’s excitingly good news for the competition that will also influence CS2 going into 2026 overall.