CS2 2026 Calendar Full S-Tier Schedule Packed with Majors

Fahad Umar
November 21, 2025
8:48 am

Published: Nov 21, 2025

Counter-Strike 2’s 2026 promises an entertaining season ahead for the teams and fans. Replicating 2025’s non stop tempo with S-Tier tournaments jammed shoulder to shoulder and any downtime in sight.

The calendar splits neatly into two grueling halves, each aiming towards a Valve Major pinnacle, the IEM Cologne Major (June 2–21, Germany; 32 teams across three Swiss stages, $1.25M prize pool), creating midsummer fireworks, and the Winter Major (November 30–December 13, location TBD, identical format and stakes) delivering a finale.

BLAST’s Bounty, Open, and Rivals circuits, ESL FACEIT’s IEMs and Pro League, plus PGL’s heavy hitters, capped by the unprecedented $2M Esports World Cup in Riyadh, a Saudi-backed, Valve-endorsed event that eclipses even Majors in riches. Hungry mid-tier squads will try and take the opportunities in FISSURE Playgrounds and StarLadder’s slimmed down roster (only StarSeries Fall confirmed).

First Half: Road to Cologne Major

BLAST Bounty Winter: Jan 23-25, Malta, 8 teams, TBD
IEM Kraków: Jan 28-Feb 8, Poland, 24 teams, $1M
PGL Cluj-Napoca: Feb 9-22, Romania, 16 teams, $625K
ESL Pro League S23: Mar 12-15, Europe TBD, 8 teams, $275K
BLAST Open Spring: Mar 16-29, Rotterdam/Copenhagen, 16 teams, $400K
PGL Bucharest: Apr 3-11, Romania, 16 teams, $625K
IEM Brazil: Apr 20-26, Brazil TBD, 16 teams, $300K
FISSURE Playground #3: Apr 20-26, Shenzhen, China, 16 teams, $450K
BLAST Rivals Spring: Apr 29-May 3, Fort Worth, USA, 8 teams, $350K
PGL Astana: May 7-17, Kazakhstan, 16 teams, $800K
IEM Atlanta: May 11-17, USA, 16 teams, $300K
CS Asia Championships: May 19-24, Shanghai, 16 teams, $400K
IEM Cologne Major: Jun 2-21, Germany, 32 teams (3 Swiss stages), $1.25M

IEM Cologne Major 2026

The Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne Major 2026 marks a big return to Cologne, Germany, after a decade, hosting Valve’s first CS2 Major of the year from June 2-21. Organized by ESL at the Lanxess Arena for playoffs (June 18-21), 32 elite teams will battle through three Swiss System stages, each with 16 squads, Bo1 matches until Bo3 decisives in a single elimination playoffs (Bo3/Bo5 grand final). The $1.25M prize pool crowns champions in CS’s “Cathedral,” expecting 50,000+ fans from 70+ nations.

Second Half: Winter Major Push

FISSURE Playground #4: Jul 13-19, TBD, 16 teams, $800K
BLAST Bounty Summer: Jul 31-Aug 2, Malta, 8 teams, TBD
Esports World Cup: Aug 12-23, Riyadh, 32 teams, $2M
BLAST Open Fall: Aug 24-Sep 6, Copenhagen, 16 teams, $400K
StarLadder StarSeries Fall: Sep 17-20, Europe TBD, 8 teams, $250K
PGL Belgrade: Oct 22-Nov 2, Serbia, 16 teams, $625K
IEM China: Nov 2-8, China TBD, 16 teams, $300K
BLAST Rivals Fall: Nov 9-15, TBD, 8 teams, $350K
Winter Major: Nov 30-Dec 13, TBD, 32 teams (3 Swiss), $1.25M

Major Championship Winter 2026

Closing 2026’s blockbuster season, the CS2 Major Championship Winter runs November 30-December 13 (playoffs Dec 10-13), with the location still to be decided. Valve’s S-Tier spectacle sees 32 teams in the standard three stage Swiss format advancing top 8 per stage via Bo1/Bo3, feeding into Bo3/Bo5 playoffs.

A $1.25M purse awaits, with seeding from Valve Global Standings and regional qualifiers ensuring global depth.

Daniel Davis

Since: October 29, 2025

Hi, I’m Dan, an experienced esports journalist and author passionate about competitive gaming and digital culture. I specialize in titles like Counter Strike, Call of Duty, League of Legends, and Valorant. I’ve documented the rise of professional esports from local tournaments to global stages. With a sharp focus on player strategy, team chemistry, and the evolving industry landscape, I deliver in depth insight into the world’s most popular competitive games.

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