One of the most iconic Counter-Strike tournaments — IEM Katowice — will not be held in Katowice for the first time in 2026. ESL has decided to move the championship to Krakow. This is a significant event for the entire esports community, as Spodek Arena has been an integral part of CS history since 2013.

The company's Vice President of Product Development, Michal "Carmac" Blicharz, told the Polish publication XYZ that Spodek has become too small for the scale of IEM.

Why Krakow was chosen

Starting in 2026, IEM will be held at Tauron Arena in Krakow — it is almost twice the size of Spodek and can accommodate more spectators. Carmac noted that the move was not only due to the arena's size. Krakow is located near Katowice, where ESL's regional office and the company's own studio are located, and the city authorities made an attractive offer.

But since then, we have grown significantly again, and even Spodek has become too small for us. More and more people want to watch IEM live. Tickets are selling out faster each year — the last time it took only a few minutes. So we are scaling up.

Michal "Carmac" Blicharz

From a business perspective, the move is necessary for us, but it was important to stay in the region. Krakow is close to Katowice, where we have the regional office of EFG [ESL Faceit Group] and our own studio. We also received a good offer from the city and hope that this cooperation will be long-lasting. We don't want to change locations every year.

Michal "Carmac" Blicharz

ESL has signed a multi-year agreement with the city, so IEM will be held in Krakow for at least the next few years.

The move of IEM to Krakow is not an end but the beginning of a new stage. ESL is betting on growth, and this is an important signal for the entire scene: esports continues to evolve and requires new scales. Spodek will remain in history as the cradle of legends, but ahead lie new arenas, new records, and even more ambitious tournaments.