logo
Menu
CS2
CS2
CyberSport News
Posted 2024-10-04
2548

IEM Rio 2026: Everything You Need To Know And More

Muhammad Shahrayar Sheikh is a news writer at cyber-sport.io who covers the latest news in the Counter-Strike 2 sphere. Amongst the many games he grew up playing, Counter-Strike 1.6 was...
5 min read
On October 4th, 2024, more details were revealed about the upcoming IEM Rio 2024 that every CS2 fan is looking forward to. The tournament is shaping up to be one of the most important events of the year as it's the final IEM (Intel Extreme Masters) event of 2024, meaning it’s the last chance to qualify for 2025 ESL Pro Tour. Organized by ESL FACEIT Group, 16 teams will go head-to-head from October 7th to 13th in Rio de Janeiro, also for a prize pool of a quarter of a million dollars.
Tweet Share on Facebook Copy link Send via Email
22 Bet

Tournament format

The first three days of the event will be for the Group Stages. Here, teams will be split off into two groups of eight teams each, battling it out in a double-elimination bracket to secure one of the top three seeds of each group. After a two-day break, the playoffs will be held over the span of two days, from October 11th to 12th, where six teams will compete in a single-elimination format. Finally, the grand final will be held on the final day, October 13th, where the winner will qualify for IEM Katowice next year.


 

The Group A Teams & Matchups:

NAVI vs. Imperial Esports

Team Liquid vs. Complexity

FURIA Esports vs. FaZe Clan

paiN Gaming vs. MOUZ


 

Group B Teams & Matchups:

9z vs. Team Vitality

Virtus.pro vs. TheMongolZ

Astralis vs. Eternal Fire

HEROIC vs. G2 Esports


 

Talents at the event

With such a monumental event right around the corner, it’s not surprising to see the amazing talent that will be making it all the more memorable. Tres "⁠stunna⁠" Saranthus and Freya "⁠Freya⁠" Spiers will host a desk featuring Joshua "⁠steel⁠" Nissan, Janko "⁠YNk⁠" Paunović, and Jacob "⁠Pimp⁠" Winneche.


 

Chad "⁠SPUNJ⁠" Burchill and Alex "⁠Machine⁠" Richardson will be one of two duos on the A stream alongside Adam "⁠Dinko⁠" Hawthorne and Jason "⁠moses⁠" O'Toole. On the B stream matches, you will hear duos Neo "⁠Ne0kai⁠" Caine and Travis "Trav" Landaw Mott as well as Lucy "LucyLuce" Eastwood and Brandon "BDog" Rawlings.


 

Finally, James "⁠BanKs⁠" Banks will be tasked with doing interviews on the sidelines.

IEM Rio 2024: Everything You Need To Know And More

Predictions for the event

Going into the event, everyone has their eyes on G2 Esports, who just bagged the trophy for BLAST Fall Final on Sept. 29, 2024, after besting NAVI 3-1 in the grand finale. They’ve also had a pretty consistent year overall, winning IEM Dallas, placing second at the Esports World Cup, and earning 3rd/4th place at ESL Pro League Season 20. Most of the momentum is riding on G2 so let’s see if they’re able to capitalize off that!


 

Fans also have not forgotten the powerhouse that is Team Vitality. With ZywOo still a force to be reckoned with, teams can not take the Vitality lightly. However, given that they’ve only won one S-Tier event the whole year thus far (IEM Cologne 2024), they might struggle to close out the tournament. Nonetheless, they are expected to advance quite far into the playoffs and even win the whole thing if they break the curse!


 

Ranking and statistics-wise, the real team everyone should watch out for is NAVI, who is currently ranked the #1 team in the world. Despite having a rather one-sided loss against G2 Esports in the recent BLAST Fall Final, there’s no denying their track record. Apart from reaching five grand finales this year, they have won three S-Tier events: PGL Major Copenhagen, Esports World Cup, and ESL Pro League Season 20.

Tweet Share on Facebook Copy link Send via Email
Muhammad Shahrayar Sheikh

More articles

How to play Rollbit in the USA? (2026)

Rollbit is an awesome crypto-casino where you can win big money playing casino games, trade crypto, buy and sell NFTs, and place sports bets. Sounds really tempting, and anyone who hasn't tried it yet is probably itching to test their luck on Rollbit. But how can people in the USA use this platform, and what should you do if you face access restrictions? Spoiler: there's a solution!

May 20, 2025
Bitstarz: US Players Acceptance at Bitstarz Casino in [year]
Bitstarz: US Players Acceptance at Bitstarz Casino in 2026
April 02, 2025
How to Get Free Coins & Money on CSGORoll ([year] Guide)
How to Get Free Coins & Money on CSGORoll (2026 Guide)
June 20, 2025
CS2 Autoexec Setup: Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a CFG File

Every CS2 player has their own quirks and unique settings, from custom key binds to unconventional video configurations. Manually adjusting these every time can be tedious. However, using config files, you can automate the process effortlessly. Here’s how to create a CFG file and set up an autoexec function in CS2.

February 24, 2025
KeyDrop Daily Case Guide - How to Unlock Your Free Case (2026)

One of the most popular loyalty features on the platform is the KeyDrop Daily Case, which gives users the opportunity to obtain skins, gold, or account balance every day without making a direct purchase. But the system is controlled by particular XP levels, cooldown timers, and verification procedures; it's not just a "click and win" button.

This guide covers how the Daily Case system operates, why your case could be locked, and how to get the most out of your prizes as you advance through the KeyDrop levels.

January 28, 2026
Find Out the Current Server Status Here! Is CS2 Down?
Find Out the Current Server Status Here! Is CS2 Down?
February 20, 2025
KeyDrop Daily Case Guide - How to Unlock Your Free Case ([year])
KeyDrop Daily Case Guide - How to Unlock Your Free Case (2026)
January 28, 2026
Find Out the Current Server Status Here! Is CS2 Down?
Find Out the Current Server Status Here! Is CS2 Down?
February 20, 2025