IEM Katowice is dead…all hail IEM Kraków! That’s what some Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports fans should probably be saying, since ESL has announced a massive change to their annual tournament lineup.
You’ve read the title correctly, and this is not a drill. ESL has announced that IEM Kraków will be the new, annual ESL Pro Tour tournament in Poland, as we bid farewell to IEM Katowice and the iconic Spodek Arena venue.
The VP of Product Development at ESL FACEIT Group, Michal Blicharz, explained:
For almost two decades, Intel Extreme Masters has built a heritage full of emotional and defining moments in esports history. From the early days in Hannover to the rise of new legends in Katowice, every stop along the way has left its mark on our legacy. Today, as we begin a new chapter of this story, we look forward to continuing it with the world’s best gamers and esports fans, as they add new pages to it in Kraków, on a bigger scale than ever before.
So, what exactly does this mean for CS2 esports fans? Well, IEM Kraków will directly replace IEM Katowice, so there’s no real difference, except for the location.
IEM Kraków 2026 will take place at the TAURON Arena from 28 January to 8 February 2026. It’s an S-Tier LAN event with all the trimmings, including a massive prize pool and 24 teams competing.
Past IEM Katowice Events
Let’s take a look back at all the IEM Katowice events over the year via the table below, featuring the year, event/game, dates, winners and runners-up for over a decade of annual competition.
| Year | Game/Event | Dates | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | CS:GO (EMS One Katowice Major) | March 13-16, 2014 | Virtus.pro | Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| 2015 | CS:GO (ESL One Katowice Major) | March 12-15, 2015 | Fnatic | Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| 2016 | CS:GO | March 2-5, 2016 | Fnatic | Luminosity Gaming |
| 2017 | CS:GO | March 1-5, 2017 | Astralis | FaZe Clan |
| 2018 | CS:GO | February 27 – March 4, 2018 | Fnatic | FaZe Clan |
| 2019 | CS:GO (IEM Katowice Major) | February 20 – March 3, 2019 | Astralis | ENCE |
| 2020 | CS:GO | February 24 – March 1, 2020 | Natus Vincere | G2 Esports |
| 2021 | CS:GO | February 18-28, 2021 | Gambit | Virtus.pro |
| 2022 | CS:GO | February 17-27, 2022 | FaZe Clan | G2 Esports |
| 2023 | CS:GO | February 4-12, 2023 | G2 Esports | Heroic |
| 2024 | CS:GO | February 9-11, 2024 | Team Spirit | FaZe Clan |
| 2025 | Counter-Strike 2 | February 7-9, 2025 | Team Vitality | Team Spirit |
Goodbye, IEM Katowice, hello IEM Kraków!
