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CS2 Esports World Cup 2026: Teams, Format, Schedule, and More
The Counter‑Strike event at the 2026 Esports World Cup is set to begin soon. Running from August 12 to 23, this 32‑team tournament will feature the world's best CS2 sides competing for international glory and the year's largest prize pool.
The group stage and playoffs will take place at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, while the Grand Final will be held at the Accor Arena.
Of the 32 participating teams, 21 earned invites based on global VRS rankings. A further six were selected through regional standings: the top two sides from North America, South America, and Asia. One additional slot went to the winners of the Asian Champions League.
For the remaining four spots, a 64‑team Last Chance Qualifier was held at the venue in Paris, where squads battled through a double‑elimination group stage and single‑elimination playoffs on LAN. All matches in the qualifier were best‑of‑threes.
The 2026 edition marks the third installment of the Esports World Cup. With a $2 million prize pool (nearly double that of last year) and valuable VRS points on the line, this is undoubtedly one of the year's biggest events. The previous two editions saw The MongolZ (2025) and NAVI (2024) emerge as champions.
Format
The main event will kick off with a double‑elimination group stage, where the 32 teams will be divided into four groups of eight. The top four teams from each group, 16 teams in total, will then advance to a single‑elimination playoff bracket.
The opening matches of the Group Stage will be best‑of‑one. All other matches will be best‑of‑three, except the Grand Final, which will be a best‑of‑five showdown.
Teams
|
Group A |
Group B |
Group C |
Group D |
|
Team Spirit |
Team Falcons |
Team Vitality |
NAVI |
|
JiJieHao |
K27 |
100 Thieves |
3DMAX |
|
Luminosity Gaming |
MIBR |
PARIVISION |
magic |
|
GamerLegion |
Astralis |
B8 |
The MongolZ |
|
G2 Esports |
BetBoom Team |
FUT Esports |
9z Team |
|
M80 |
FaZe Clan |
TYLOO |
paiN Gaming |
|
BIG |
Ninjas in Pyjamas |
Lynn Vision Gaming |
Wildcard |
|
Aurora Gaming |
Legacy |
MOUZ |
FURIA |
CS2 EWC 2026 Schedule
Group Stage
|
Day 1: Wednesday, August 12 | |
|
4 am PDT | 1 pm CEST | |
|
5:10 am PDT | 2:10 pm CEST | |
|
6:20 am PDT | 3:20 pm CEST | |
|
7:30 am PDT | 4:30 pm CEST | |
|
8:40 am PDT | 5:40 pm CEST | |
|
9:50 am PDT | 6:50 pm CEST | |
|
11 am PDT | 8 pm CEST | |
|
12:10 pm PDT | 9:10 pm CEST | |
We will update the schedule and results after each matchday.
Where to Watch CS2 Esports World Cup 2026
Esports World Cup 2026 will be broadcast live on EWC's official channels across YouTube and Twitch, with two streams running simultaneously. You can also watch co-streams from various content creators. Below are the official English stream links:
You can also follow EWC 2026 live on Strafe.
Don't forget to follow Strafe Esports for the latest news about your favorite esports and to check out our X account for the most recent content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and much more.
Featured Image Credit: Esports Foundation
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