May 31, 2025
From 2026, IEM Katowice, one of the world’s top CS2 events, will officially move, bidding farewell to its traditional home for more than ten years – Katowice, Poland, and settling in the southern city of Kraków. This news was officially confirmed by ESL officials at the end of May 2025, attracting widespread attention from the global e-sports circle.
This change is not only the relocation of the event venue, but also an important signal for the upgrading of the CS2 event landscape. This post will comprehensively analyze the deep logic behind this change from five dimensions: event background, data support, geographical factors, economic impact and industry response.
1. IEM Katowice: The former CS holy land
Since 2013, IEM Katowice has become an evergreen event on the global CS stage, witnessing the changes of multiple eras from CS:GO to CS2. The home stadium, Spodek Arena, is not only a competition venue, but also the birthplace of many legendary moments. In the past five years, the number of spectators at IEM Katowice has exceeded 170,000 per year, and the number of online viewers has exceeded 10 million, driving more than 110 million zlotys in tourism and service industry revenue in Katowice each year.
Despite this, the city’s development in hardware upgrades and event supporting facilities has gradually become saturated. In the face of the high-growth e-sports economy, Katowice’s carrying capacity can no longer meet the growing CS2 event map.
2. Why choose Krakow?
As the second largest city in Poland, Krakow has long been ahead of other Polish cities in culture, infrastructure and internationalization. Its home stadium, TAURON Arena Kraków, has a capacity of more than 18,000 people and is equipped with a world-class stage, lighting and sound system. It has hosted many large-scale sports and entertainment events, including the 2023 FIVB Volleyball World League and many international music festivals.
From a geographical point of view, Krakow’s role as a transportation hub is particularly prominent. The city is only a 20-minute drive from the international airport, and is connected to neighboring countries such as Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia by rail, providing a more convenient way for international audiences to arrive. For ESL, this means greater traffic potential and stronger overseas box office conversion capabilities.
3. Data support: better venues and growth potential
According to official data released by ESL, TAURON Arena’s scalability far exceeds Spodek. The following is a comparison of the two:
| Metric | Spodek Arena | TAURON Arena Kraków |
| Seating Capacity | 11,000 | 18,000+ |
| Venue Floor Area | 29,473 m² | 61,434 m² |
| Nearby Accommodations (within 5km) | 37 hotels | 102 hotels |
| International Flight Accessibility | Moderate | High |
In addition, ESL expects that the total number of participants will increase by 22% and the on-site box office revenue will increase by more than 35% in the first IEM Krakow event in 2026. TAURON Arena will also have the opportunity to become the core base for resident CS2 events throughout the year in the future, providing support for more community activities and open qualifiers.
4. Professional teams and community response
Despite the symbolic significance of Katowice, most professional players and team management support this move. FaZe Clan director RobbaN said in an interview with HLTV: “Spodek has countless memories for us, but as an important global e-sports event, we must move closer to the future. Krakow can provide the team with a more comfortable preparation environment and more modern facilities.”
At the same time, many well-known anchors and commentators also expressed their expectations for the future atmosphere of the Krakow event on social platforms. The popularity of related discussions on Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) increased by 340% on the day of the release, and a large number of fans expressed their willingness to visit Poland again for the new venue experience.
5. From IEM Katowice to IEM Krakow
This venue relocation does not mean the end of tradition, but symbolizes that CS2 has entered a stage of higher standards and deeper globalization. ESL said that in the future, IEM Krakow will be fully upgraded in terms of technical exhibition, audience interaction and player experience, and is committed to creating a non-Major event that is “on par with Major”.
In addition, ESL will cooperate with the Krakow City Government and the Polish Tourism Bureau to create a multi-dimensional e-sports festival for the next three years, including an e-sports expo, CS2 city competitions and fan culture markets, to further expand the interaction between brands and players.
Conclusion
The glory of IEM Katowice has been written into the history of CS2, but the essence of e-sports never stops. Krakow is not a denial of the past, but an injection of new momentum into the future. For players, spectators and event organizers, this change means higher expectations, broader vision and deeper connection.
The 2026 IEM Krakow will not only be a relocation, but also a landmark node for the upgrade of the CS2 global e-sports industry.
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