On June 11, 2025, ESL published key information about three major ESL Pro Tour Masters 2026 events to be held in Brazil, the US, and China. These tournaments will be important milestones in the Counter-Strike 2 competitive calendar, continuing the tradition of Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) and offering prize pools worth millions.

Intel® Extreme Masters Brazil 2026

The tournament will take place from April 13 to 19, 2026, with teams arriving on April 11 and departing on April 20. Invitations will be based on the January 2026 VRS list, and seating will be based on the March 2026 list. All stages will be held on LAN, with the location to be announced later.

Intel® Extreme Masters USA 2026

The event will take place from May 11 to 17, 2026, with teams arriving on May 9 and departing on May 18. Invitations will be based on the February 2026 VRS list, and seating will be based on the April 2026 list. The tournament will also be held on LAN, with the location to be announced.

Intel® Extreme Masters China 2026

The tournament is scheduled for November 2-8, 2026, with arrival on October 31 and departure on November 9. Invitations will be based on the August 2026 VRS list, and seeding will be based on the October 2026 list. All matches will be played on LAN, with the location to be announced.

ESL has chosen a strategy that combines global and regional invitations to ensure representation based on location. Each tournament will feature 16 teams divided into two groups of 8 teams with a double elimination format.

The top three teams from each group will advance to the playoffs, where 6 teams will compete in a single-elimination format with a match for third place. All matches will be best-of-three, except for the grand final, which will be best-of-five. The prize pool for each event is $1,000,000, and points will also be awarded towards the Annual Club Incentive.

These events will be an important step in the development of CS2, ensuring a high level of competition and global representation.