The opening round of IEM Atlanta 2026 is locked in, and the group stage is starting with a rematch that’s going to set the tone for the whole event. Vitality and BC.Game will kick things off in Group A, while NAVI take on Passion UA as the marquee fixture in Group B. Sixteen teams, two groups, and only six spots in the playoffs up for grabs.

The tournament runs from 11 to 17 May at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, with a reported $1 million prize pool on the line. Here’s the full bracket breakdown and what to watch for on day one.

Group Stage Format And What’s At Stake

The 16 teams have been split into two double-elimination, best-of-three groups. The top three from each group move through to the single-elimination playoffs, meaning ten teams will be sent home before the bracket stage even begins. That’s a brutal cut for an event of this size, and it puts real pressure on every opening match.

Both groups have a clear headline fixture, but there’s no shortage of dangerous floaters lurking underneath. Group A in particular has a stacked top end with Vitality, FaZe, and paiN all sharing the same bracket.

Vitality vs BC.Game Is A Direct Rematch From Kraków

The pick of the opening round is Vitality against BC.Game, a fixture that already has recent history. The two sides met in Stage 2 of IEM Kraków back in February, with Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s Vitality squad winning 2-0 on Dust2 and Overpass.

BC.Game won’t be running the same lineup this time, though. The org double-benched Christopher “MUTiRiS” Fernandes and António “aragornN” Barbosa following Kraków, and they’ve reshuffled significantly for Atlanta. Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold has joined on loan from The MongolZ, while team analyst Robin “ScrunK” Röpke is stepping in as a stand-in for both this event and the upcoming CS Asia Championships.

Whether that’s enough to flip a 2-0 deficit against the world’s top-ranked side is another question entirely, but it makes the rematch significantly more interesting than a straight repeat would have been.

NAVI vs Passion UA Is The Group B Headliner

Over in Group B, Natus Vincere drawing Passion UA in the opening round is the standout match-up, and there’s a nice bit of symmetry to it. Passion UA recently picked up Viktor “sdy” Orudzhev on loan to fill the gap left by Senzu’s departure to BC.Game. So both opening fixtures essentially feature teams adjusting to brand new lineups against established top-tier opposition.

The rest of Group B is a mixed bag of European challengers and North American hopefuls, with Liquid vs Astralis the other tie that should produce fireworks.

Read More: Steam Controller Launches May 4 at US$99, Valve Confirms

Group A Opening Round Matches And Start Times

Group A’s opening day stacks all four matches at the same slot, so it’s a single block of CS to clear your schedule for. Beyond the headline Vitality vs BC.Game tie, paiN vs FaZe is the other must-watch, with paiN making their debut appearance since signing Rafael “saffee” Costa.

Group B Opening Round Matches And Start Times

Group B mirrors the same simultaneous start, with NAVI vs Passion UA as the headliner and Liquid vs Astralis as the other tie that’ll pull serious viewership. Two organisations with deep CS pedigree, both currently somewhere short of their best, both desperate for a result on a stage like this.

Full Group A And Group B Line-Ups

Here’s how all sixteen teams have been seeded across the two groups for the IEM Atlanta 2026 group stage.

What Comes Next After The Opening Round

With only six of sixteen teams advancing, the double-elimination format means a single bad day at the office can end an org’s tournament before it really begins. Expect the opening round to set the upper-bracket runs that everyone will want, and watch how the new BC.Game and Passion UA lineups handle the pressure of a real LAN debut against tier-one opposition. The playoffs run through 17 May.

The post IEM Atlanta 2026 Bracket – Vitality vs BC.Game Headlines Day One appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

ESL has officially locked in the rosters for all 32 teams heading to the IEM Cologne Major 2026, with most squads choosing to bring either a coach, a benched player, or an academy prospect as their listed substitute. The lineup confirmation sets the stage for the first Counter-Strike Major of the year, though a few unresolved stand-in situations still hang over the event.

For most of the field, the substitute slot is more of a formality than a plan. A handful of teams, however, are walking into Cologne with stand-ins who will play from the first map, not the bench, which meaningfully changes the competitive picture going in.

Teams Playing With Stand-Ins From Day One

Falcons will field Finn “karrigan” Andersen at the Major, with the veteran in-game leader slotting in rather than sitting as a backup option. It is the kind of situation where the “substitute” label on paper does not match the reality on the server.

MOUZ are in a similar position. Adrian “xelex” Vincze is stepping in for Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo, and the event will be Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin’s last with the team. That is a significant moment for one of the more consistent young cores in Counter-Strike over the past couple of years, and it will be playing out under the brightest lights the game has to offer.

Gaimin Gladiators are rolling with Fernando “fer” Alvarenga as part of their starting five rather than as a reserve. The Brazilian veteran’s inclusion gives the roster a different competitive identity than the one listed on the official sheet.

The BetBoom Situation Remains Unresolved

The biggest question mark hanging over the locked rosters is BetBoom. The organisation has not confirmed who will actually take the server for them in Cologne, telling HLTV that they cannot share information yet and need to wait for official announcements.

BetBoom qualified for the Major using stand-ins Aleksandr “zorte” Zagodyrenko and Timur “FL4MUS” Marev. Zorte then joined the team properly, replacing Artem “ArtFr0st” Kharitonov, but the picture has not fully settled since. Daniil “d1Ledez” Kustov’s availability is clouded by visa issues, while FL4MUS’s loan from Virtus.pro ended after the qualifier run concluded. The listed roster on the official sheet names FL4MUS and d1Ledez, but neither is a certainty to play.

Read More: Vitality Launches CS Academy Roster With ‘Project H’ Five

Read More: CS2 Finally Feels Like CSGO Again After AnimGraph 2 Goes Live

Read More: MOUZ Set for Major Overhaul as xelex Is Promoted and jL Joins on Loan

Stage 1 Rosters

Stage 2 Rosters

Stage 3 Rosters

The Picture Going Into Cologne

With rosters locked, the storylines heading into the Cathedral of Counter-Strike are starting to crystallise. Brollan’s farewell run with MOUZ, Falcons relying on karrigan’s in-game leadership, and BetBoom’s scramble to confirm a usable five are the situations most likely to shape the early narrative of the event. The rest of the field looks largely as expected, which puts more pressure on the teams dealing with disruption to prove they can still make a deep run.

The post IEM Cologne Major 2026 Rosters Locked as BetBoom Uncertainty Lingers appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo has announced he will retire from competitive Counter-Strike 2 at the end of 2026, ending a career that has spanned more than two decades. The FURIA in-game leader made the announcement on stage at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro during IEM Rio, telling fans he has 247 days left as an active player before stepping away from the server.

The 34-year-old veteran, widely known as “The Professor,” confirmed he intends to remain involved in Counter-Strike after retirement, though he did not specify what role he will take on. His final months as a player will see him compete with FURIA through the rest of the 2026 season.

FalleN Confirms End-Of-Year Exit On Stage At IEM Rio

FalleN delivered the news during an on-stage moment at IEM Rio, visibly emotional as he addressed the crowd. “It’s 247 more days,” he said. “I’ve decided that at the end of the year, I’m going to do other things within CS with you all.”

He invited fans to follow him through the rest of his playing career, framing the remainder of 2026 as a final chapter rather than an immediate departure. He also signalled that his post-playing work will focus on supporting other players, saying he believes there is more he can do to help others change their lives through the game, just as his own life was shaped by it.

FalleN closed the speech by thanking his family, his wife Leticia for over two decades of support, and his teammates, telling them he would miss them in the future. Several FURIA players were visibly emotional during the speech, with fans inside Farmasi Arena openly in tears.

O que antes de você era sonho, com você virou realidade, e por sua causa se torna legado.

Você não apenas venceu, você definiu o que é grandeza para um país inteiro dentro dos esportes eletrônicos.

Dentro ou fora do servidor, para sempre nosso Professor! 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/zwP6YqIqaj

— FURIA (@FURIA) April 17, 2026

A Career That Helped Build Brazilian Counter-Strike

FalleN’s competitive career started in 2005, playing Counter-Strike 1.6 in domestic Brazilian tournaments before progressing into international events such as the World Cyber Games and ESWC with teams including Crashers, FireGamers, and CompLexity.

His breakthrough on the global stage came during the CS:GO era. After making the playoffs of the ESL One: Katowice 2015 Major with Keyd Stars, he established himself as one of the most consistent in-game leaders of the era, making the playoffs of every Major from Katowice 2015 to Katowice 2019. He led Luminosity and SK Gaming to back-to-back Major titles in 2016 at MLG Columbus and ESL One Cologne, alongside other significant trophies including two seasons of ESL Pro League, EPICENTER 2017, and ESL One Cologne 2017.

Stints with MIBR and Team Liquid followed before FalleN reunited with several Brazilian veterans to form the Last Dance lineup under Imperial, a project that reached the Legends Stage at the PGL Antwerp Major and resonated heavily with Brazilian fans.

Read More: karrigan Reportedly Set To Join Falcons Ahead of IEM Cologne Major, Replacing kyxsan

FURIA Era And His Mentorship Of molodoy

FalleN joined FURIA in July 2023 and has spent the past three years rebuilding both the team and his own competitive standing. After an inconsistent start, FURIA closed out 2025 with two Major playoff appearances and a string of tier-one trophies including BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 2, IEM Chengdu 2025, and FISSURE Playground 2.

A defining part of his FURIA tenure has been mentoring Danil “molodoy” Golubenko. The young Kazakh rifler was named Rookie of the Year and finished as the sixth best player of 2025, a rise widely attributed in part to FalleN’s coaching influence inside the team. molodoy was among the FURIA players who reacted publicly after the announcement, expressing sadness that his captain will soon step away from the active roster.

Community Reaction To The Retirement News

Reactions across the Counter-Strike community came in almost immediately after the speech. Players, analysts, and content creators shared tributes acknowledging FalleN’s role in shaping an entire generation of Brazilian talent and his influence on the global Counter-Strike scene.

Beyond competitive play, FalleN’s impact has extended into amateur development through his Games Academy project in Latin America, which has provided instructional content and platforms for pick-up games and grassroots tournaments. That community work has been a recurring theme in tributes, with many pointing to it as the foundation for whatever role he takes on after retiring.

What Comes Next For FalleN And FURIA

FURIA still has a full competitive calendar ahead in 2026, and FalleN’s remaining 247 days as a player will run through the rest of the year’s circuit. The team enters the back half of the IEM Rio bracket as one of the contenders, and any deep run from here on will carry the weight of a farewell tour for their captain.

The bigger question is what role FalleN takes on from 2027 onwards. He has hinted at staying inside Counter-Strike in a non-playing capacity, with a focus on helping new players, but has not confirmed whether that means coaching, an organisational role, broadcast work, or expanding his Games Academy project further. Whatever direction he chooses, the next chapter will be watched closely by a scene that has spent two decades being shaped by him.

The post Furia FalleN Announces CS2 Retirement at End of 2026 During Emotional IEM Rio Speech appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

BC.Game have officially confirmed Maidar “nocries” Baldanov as their stand-in for IEM Atlanta 2026, lining up the 18-year-old FACEIT phenom for what will be his debut on the Tier 1 professional stage. The announcement came from CEO Ali “akofocus” Muhanned during a stream before being posted to the team’s social channels, and it slots nocries into a BC.Game lineup that has spent the last week in visible flux.

Our sub for IEM Atlanta 🔒@nocriesof pic.twitter.com/M7RO1Yq72b

— BC Game Esports (@BCGameEsports) April 15, 2026

The Mongolian-born, US-based player will sit alongside Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev, Denis “electroNic” Sharipov and Adones “krazy” Nobre for the event, with Wiktor “TaZ” Wojtas continuing as head coach. BC.Game are currently operating with only three active players after benching Christopher “MUTiRiS” Fernandes and António “aragornN” Barbosa last week, and the second stand-in slot is yet to be filled.

Why BC.Game Needed A Stand-In

The roster shuffle is the latest chapter in a messy stretch for BC.Game. The team entered 2026 built around a four-man SAW core signed in January, but that project fell apart quickly after a disappointing run at PGL Bucharest, where they were eliminated by FOKUS before the playoffs. Benching MUTiRiS and aragornN effectively closed the book on that experiment and left the organisation short-handed with a major tier-1 tournament on the horizon.

IEM Atlanta 2026 runs from 11 to 17 May in the United States, with 16 teams competing for a $300,000 prize pool. The invite list includes NAVI, FaZe, Liquid, Vitality, Astralis and paiN, and with BC.Game unable to field a full five from within, bringing in a local-ish solution made sense. nocries studies in the US, which cuts travel and visa complications that a European or Brazilian stand-in would have carried.

Who Is nocries

nocries has been one of the most talked-about names on FACEIT over the past year, climbing to the number one spot on the North American ladder and drawing accusations of cheating along the way. The numbers were so lopsided for a player with no pro pedigree that a portion of the community refused to believe they were legitimate.

FACEIT responded by flying him to their New York office in September 2025 for in-person testing. He played five monitored matches under direct supervision of the platform’s anti-cheat team, won four of them, and hit his usual statistical output. FACEIT cleared him and handed him an invite to the FPL shortly after. He has kept a relatively low profile since, streaming FPL matches rather than chasing a team.

Read More: Free! FACEIT Clears Rising CS2 Star Nocries After Full Integrity Review

Read More: karrigan Reportedly Set To Join Falcons Ahead of IEM Cologne Major, Replacing kyxsan

A Real Tier 1 Debut

IEM Atlanta will be the first time nocries plays in a professional LAN environment, and the jump from FPL pugs to a stage alongside s1mple is an unusually steep one. FACEIT dominance has historically been a soft indicator of pro ceiling at best, with the skill gap between pug superstar and tournament-ready rifler often exposed the moment structure, utility and IGL calls enter the picture.

That risk cuts both ways for BC.Game. A clean showing from nocries gives them a North America-based prospect already integrated with the active core, and a potential long-term option rather than another expensive transfer. A rough one adds to the pile of roster questions the organisation is already managing in public.

What Happens Next

BC.Game still need to fill the second vacant slot before the tournament starts, and the organisation has given no timeline for permanent replacements. akofocus has been unusually active on stream and social media in recent weeks, fielding questions on s1mple’s contract and salary, denying rumoured moves involving other players, and now walking fans through roster decisions in real time.

For now, the IEM Atlanta lineup is a four-and-one, with nocries carrying the weight of expectation that comes with sharing a server with one of the most recognisable names in Counter-Strike history.

The post nocries Joins BC.Game as Stand-In for IEM Atlanta 2026 Alongside s1mple appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The IEM Rio 2026 playoff bracket is set. Six teams remain, two quarter-finals open the stage, and the headline draw is Natus Vincere getting a shot at Vitality just months after losing the BLAST Open Rotterdam grand final to them 3-0. Falcons and FURIA sit in the semi-finals already, waiting on the winners.

The playoffs run from 17 to 19 April at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, with the grand final scheduled for the evening of 19 April local time. MOUZ open proceedings against Spirit in a rematch of their IEM Krakow third-place decider, and the winner walks into a semi-final against Falcons.

MOUZ Vs Spirit Kicks Off The Bracket

MOUZ and Spirit meeting in a quarter-final is the second time these two have crossed paths at a big event in 2026. The last meeting, the third-place decider at IEM Krakow, went Spirit’s way in a fairly clean two-map series. MOUZ will be looking to flip that result here, with the stakes significantly higher than a bronze medal match.

Whoever survives this one faces Falcons in the semis, which, given how Falcons have looked through the group stage, is the kind of draw nobody really wants. A rested Falcons side with m0NESY in the form he is in right now is a genuinely frightening prospect.

NAVI Vs Vitality Is The Revenge Draw

The other quarter-final is the one that sells tickets. Natus Vincere and Vitality last met in the grand final of BLAST Open Rotterdam, where apEX’s side steamrolled NAVI 3-0 to take the trophy. It was a lopsided, clinical win, and NAVI have not had a chance to answer back until now.

There is a grand final streak on the line for NAVI as well. They have reached the last two big grand finals they have played, and making it three in a row runs directly through the team that beat them last time. Vitality, meanwhile, are coming off the loss to Falcons and now have to grind through the lower side of the bracket to get back to a trophy match.

Read More: Falcons End Vitality’s 18-Match Winning Streak at IEM Rio 2026

FURIA Wait On The Home Crowd’s Behalf

FURIA sit on the other semi-final line, and they will face whoever comes out of the NAVI versus Vitality match. The Farmasi Arena crowd is the variable that everyone is quietly factoring in, and a FURIA run deep into their home event would light the place up. They have been steady rather than spectacular so far, but the bracket has opened up in a way that gives them a real shot.

Full IEM Rio 2026 Playoff Schedule

Below is the full schedule for the IEM Rio 2026 playoffs. Times have been converted to Brazil local time (BRT, GMT-3) where the event is being held, with major broadcast timezones included for international viewers.

What The Bracket Means For The Title Race

Falcons are the clear beneficiaries of how this has shaken out. They get a semi-final against a team that has already had to play an extra Bo3, and they go in as arguably the form side of the tournament. Vitality’s path, by contrast, requires beating NAVI, then likely Spirit or MOUZ, then Falcons or FURIA, all in succession.

For neutrals, the draw is close to ideal. A hometown FURIA semi-final, a NAVI revenge match, a Spirit versus MOUZ rematch with real stakes, and Falcons sitting in the catbird seat. The next three days in Rio should sort out where the trophy lands and, more interestingly, reshape the top of the world rankings heading into the next swing of the calendar.

The post IEM Rio 2026 Playoff Bracket Locked In – NAVI Get Vitality Rematch appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Vitality’s 18-match winning run is over. Falcons ended the French side’s dominant streak with a 1-2 victory in the Group A upper bracket final at IEM Rio 2026, sending themselves straight through to the semi-finals and forcing the tournament favourites to take the long way round.

The series went the distance, with Falcons taking Mirage 13-10, Vitality responding with a 13-6 drubbing on Dust2, and the decider on Nuke going to overtime before Falcons closed it out 16-14. For a team that had not dropped a match since before IEM Katowice, it was the kind of loss that reshapes a bracket.

Nuke Decider Slips Away In Overtime

Nuke was where the match was lost rather than won. Vitality started the decider on a brutal 3-9 scoreline on the Terrorist side, and the defensive half that followed was one of the gutsier showings of the tournament. Robin “ropz” Kool dragged the team back into contention almost single-handedly, and for a stretch it looked like they might actually pull off the comeback.

They could not quite get it done. Falcons held their composure in the closing rounds of regulation, forced overtime, and edged the extra frames to take the map and the series. Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and company are now through to the final four without having to play another group stage minute.

ZywOo Goes Missing As Ropz Carries The Load

The headline individual story from Vitality’s side is Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut having one of his quieter series of the year. The French star finished with a 0.94 rating across the three maps, well below his usual output, and never really threatened to take over a round the way he normally does.

Ropz filled the gap as best he could. His secondary AWP work on Dust2 was a big part of why that map was as one-sided as it was, and his performance on Nuke kept Vitality breathing when the series looked like slipping away early. A 1.31 rating in a losing effort tells the story of a player doing too much on his own.

m0NESY Extends Dominant IEM Rio Run

On the other side of the server, Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov continued what has been a ridiculous tournament for him personally. The Falcons AWPer posted a 1.41 series rating with a 59-45 K-D and 90.5 ADR, leading the IEM Rio stats charts by a comfortable margin heading into the playoffs.

He was the most consistent presence on the server across all three maps, and on Nuke specifically he came through in the rounds that mattered. Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski also deserves a mention for his Mirage performance, which set the tone for the series in the opening map.

Read More: karrigan Reportedly Set To Join Falcons Ahead of IEM Cologne Major, Replacing kyxsan

Read More: IEM Rio 2026 Playoff Bracket Locked In – NAVI Get Vitality Rematch

Vitality’s Road To The Grand Slam Gets Harder

Vitality had come into IEM Rio eyeing their second ESL Grand Slam, and before this series they had barely been tested. Cracks had started to show in the group stage, where they scraped past a G2 side playing with a stand-in, and Dan “apEX” Madesclaire has openly spoken about the mental weight of chasing the Grand Slam.

Now the bracket gets ugly. They drop to the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the other group’s lower final between Natus Vincere and Aurora. After that, they will need to beat two of FURIA, MOUZ, Spirit and Falcons to reach the Farmasi Arena for the grand final. Four Bo3s in a row against top-tier competition is a very different proposition to the path they would have had as Group A winners.

VRS And Rankings Impact

The Valve Regional Standings took note as well. Falcons picked up +47 points to move to 1866 and climb to fifth in the world rankings, one of the bigger single-match swings of the season so far. Vitality dropped 24 points to 2069, which still keeps them comfortably in the top tier but tightens the gap at the top.

For Falcons, the win is also a statement. They have been building towards this kind of result for months, and taking down the best team in the world in a full Bo3 is the clearest evidence yet that the roster has clicked. The semi-final spot is locked in, and they now get to watch the rest of the bracket tear itself apart while they rest.

The post Falcons Snap Vitality 18 Match Streak To Book IEM Rio Semi-Final Spot appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has published updated co-streaming guidelines for the 2026 season, and the changes are significant. The new rules tighten what creators can and cannot do while broadcasting EFG events like the CS2 IEM circuit, with strict requirements around sponsor visibility, overlay sizes, and a controversial “Always-On” coverage mandate that prevents co-streamers from switching away from the official feed during live broadcasts.

With co-streaming becoming a bigger and bigger part of our events, today we’re updating our co-streaming guidelines for 2026 and beyond.

Check out the full guidelines on our website!https://t.co/ngCIJk91BJ pic.twitter.com/xVGxwerUYz

— ESL (@ESL) April 10, 2026

What The New Guidelines Actually Say

The core principle driving the 2026 rules is what EFG calls “Commercial Inheritance.” In simple terms, every sponsor integration baked into the official ESL broadcast, from in-game logo rotations and banners to lower thirds, break screens, and commercial ad segments, must remain fully visible and unaltered on any co-streamer’s feed. Co-streamers cannot hide, cover, or mute any of it.

On top of that, creators are barred from running their own commercial sponsors during ESL broadcasts without prior written approval. The restrictions go deep: overlays, webcam backgrounds, Twitch panels, chatbot messages, social media posts related to the event, and even voice shout-outs are all covered. EFG has also reserved a long list of sponsor categories exclusively for itself, including hardware (CPUs, GPUs, monitors, peripherals), beverages (energy drinks, soft drinks), gaming platforms, betting, crypto, and collectibles. Promoting anything in those categories during a co-stream is off-limits.

The “Always-On” Rule That Has Everyone Talking

The section generating the most community reaction is “Always-On Coverage.” Under the new guidelines, co-streamers must maintain a continuous, uninterrupted broadcast once they go live. Switching away to other streams, gameplay, or “Just Chatting” segments while the ESL tournament is running is explicitly prohibited. During live gameplay, ESL’s audio must remain audible and the co-streamer’s webcam is capped at roughly 5% of total screen space. During interstitial segments like analyst desks, walkouts, and interviews, ESL audio must still be audible, and overlay elements can take up a maximum of 33% of the screen.

The only windows where co-streamers get full creative freedom are pre-show (before the countdown clock hits zero) and post-show (after the trophy ceremony and legal lines). During those periods, creators can do full-screen takeovers with their own audio.

Read More: Playing VALORANT In CS2 Is Now Possible With Project Phoenix

Read More: IEM Rio 2026 Groups and Opening Matchups Revealed Ahead of April Showdown

The 5% Webcam Rule And Overlay Restrictions

EFG has laid out precise spatial requirements for what co-streamers can display on screen. The webcam overlay must occupy 5% or less of the total screen during gameplay and interstitials, and it has to be positioned so it doesn’t cover in-game HUDs or sponsor placements. Chat feeds must be transparent and take up less than 3% of screen space. Social handles are limited to under 2%. No additional commercial overlays of any kind are permitted during the full broadcast.

Platform Lock, Data Sharing, And Likeness Rights

Co-streams are permitted exclusively on Twitch. Any other platform, whether that’s YouTube, TikTok, or Facebook, requires express written exemption from EFG. Creators approved for YouTube must also be whitelisted for copyright purposes before going live, and EFG takes no responsibility for DMCA claims that arise outside the approval process.

Beyond platform restrictions, co-streamers must share all viewership data with EFG upon request after each event. They also grant EFG a perpetual, royalty-free licence to use their likeness, voice, and broadcast excerpts for marketing and promotional purposes. Any guests or co-hosts appearing for a significant portion of the broadcast need advance approval via email.

Community Reaction Is Split

The CS2 community response has been mixed. A significant portion of the Reddit discussion around the announcement focused on the practical implications of the Always-On rule, particularly for creators like fl0m and ohnePixel who are known for filling time between maps with their own content, whether that’s GeoGuessr, case openings, or casual chat with viewers.

Some fans flagged that the wording initially seemed to require co-streamers to broadcast the entire show day from start to finish, which would be impractical for creators in different time zones. An ESL staff member responded directly on Reddit to clarify that this is not the case. The rule is about maintaining an uninterrupted experience during the co-streamer’s own broadcast, not forcing them to be live for every minute of a show day.

Others pointed out the elephant in the room: the Always-On rule is fundamentally about ad delivery. When co-streamers switch away from the official feed during breaks, those viewers effectively vanish from ESL’s sponsor metrics. As one commenter put it, ESL cannot count a co-streamer’s audience as their own if that audience is watching someone play GeoGuessr instead of the analyst desk and its accompanying sponsor segments.

There is also concern about what this means for co-streamers who have existing relationships with gambling-adjacent sponsors. The guidelines explicitly prohibit betting and skin gambling promotion, which could create contractual conflicts for creators who are already partnered with those kinds of brands.

Why EFG Is Tightening The Rules Now

EFG framed the guidelines as a shared responsibility model. The opening of the document explicitly states that brand partners are what fund the prize pools, arena experiences, and production quality that the community expects. From EFG’s perspective, co-streamers are “parallel distribution hubs,” and if those hubs are not delivering the full sponsor package, the commercial model that sustains CS2 esports starts to break down.

Whether the community sees this as a reasonable trade-off or a step too far will likely depend on how strictly EFG enforces the rules in practice, and whether the co-streamers who draw tens of thousands of viewers decide the conditions are worth it. EFG retains the right to terminate access and revoke broadcasting rights in real time for any violation, so the leverage sits firmly on the tournament organiser’s side.

The post ESL New Co-Streaming Rules for 2026 Crack Down on Creator Freedom During Broadcasts appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

ESL has locked in the groups and opening round schedule for IEM Rio 2026, with 16 teams set to battle it out in Rio de Janeiro from April 13 to 19. The draw puts together some spicy first-round clashes, headlined by Spirit versus Liquid and a B8/Natus Vincere rematch, while Vitality open their latest Grand Slam campaign against RED Canids.

Group A And Group B Breakdown

The 16 teams have been divided into two groups of eight. Group A is loaded with firepower, featuring reigning heavyweights Vitality alongside Spirit, G2, Falcons, and Liquid. Group B is no less interesting, with MOUZ, Natus Vincere, and FURIA anchoring a pool that also includes some less established rosters looking to make noise on the big stage.

Opening Round Matchups

All eight opening matches are scheduled for April 13 (April 14 for New Zealand viewers). Listed times are based on ESL’s published schedule and may be updated as the event approaches.

The standout clash on paper is Spirit against Liquid, two rosters with real title pedigree going head-to-head from the jump. Falcons and 3DMAX is another tasty one in Group A, while over in Group B, B8 and Natus Vincere get a rematch of their opening round meeting at BLAST Open Rotterdam.

Read More: FaZe Enter HLC Belgrade in Last-Ditch Bid for IEM Cologne Major 2026

Read More: BLAST Premier 2028 Dates Locked In, But Schedule Clashes Raise Questions

Tournament Format And Grand Slam Stakes

IEM Rio follows ESL’s familiar double-elimination, best-of-three group stage format. Group winners advance directly to the semi-finals, while second and third-place teams drop into the quarter-finals. This is the last year of this structure, with ESL already confirming a shift to eight-team playoffs from 2027 onwards.

For Vitality, the event carries extra weight. Rio is the first of three opportunities this season for them to complete their second ESL Grand Slam, and they will be looking to extend an imposing 22-map winning streak when they open against Brazilian side RED Canids. That streak makes them the clear favourites to top Group A, though Spirit, G2, and Falcons all have the talent to disrupt that run.

Broadcast Times For New Zealand Viewers

The opening round is set for April 13 local time in Rio de Janeiro. For viewers outside Brazil, the approximate broadcast start converts to 11:00 AM BRT (local), 4:00 PM CEST, 2:00 PM UTC, and 2:00 AM NZST on April 14. Kiwi fans will want to set an alarm or catch the VODs, as the schedule falls squarely in the early hours for New Zealand.

The complete bracket and updated schedule are available on the ESL website as match times are finalised closer to the event.

The post IEM Rio 2026 Groups and Opening Matchups Revealed Ahead of April Showdown appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A new custom game mode for Counter-Strike 2 is turning heads across the competitive scene, because it basically lets players experience a “VALORANT-style” version of Counter-Strike.

Called Project Phoenix, the experimental mode was created by modder Orel Stealth in collaboration with tournament organiser ESL.

In collaboration with @ESLCS, we made a new gamemode for @CounterStrike:
PROJECT PHOENIX🐦‍🔥

Traditional 5v5, but with 10 unique abilities!

That was a fun ride making this one! https://t.co/gY9X6XhrrR

— Orel (@OrelStealth) March 13, 2026

The twist is simple but dramatic. It keeps the traditional 5v5 Counter-Strike format, but introduces ten unique abilities that players can use during matches.

For long-time Counter-Strike fans, it’s about as close as the game has ever come to a hero-shooter experience.

What Project Phoenix Changes In Counter-Strike 2

At its core, Project Phoenix still follows the classic tactical structure players expect from Counter-Strike.

Teams play a standard 5v5 match, but before the game begins players select two abilities. One ability can be used on each side during the match, adding a layer of strategy that normally doesn’t exist in Counter-Strike’s purely equipment-based gameplay.

The abilities themselves lean heavily into hero-shooter style mechanics, including teleportation, scouting tools, movement boosts, and healing powers.

Some of the abilities available in the mode include:

• Teleport, which instantly moves the player a medium distance
• Scout, which spawns a chicken that marks enemies through walls
• Olofboost, creating a solid wall players can use for cover or elevation
• Hunden, placing a camera that tags enemies
• Dash, letting players quickly burst in any direction
• Undertaker, which heals teammates and can revive an ally with its ultimate ability
• No Fear, which heals damage from molotov fire and can bring a player back after ten seconds
• L Vape, deploying a toxic cloud
• VAC, restricting enemy movement
• Fake Flash, spawning a fake player that blinds attackers

Players can also quickly swap abilities during warmup using the in-game chat command.

The overall result is something that feels far closer to VALORANT than traditional Counter-Strike.

ESL Testing The Mode With Pro Teams

The mode isn’t just a community experiment. ESL has already produced gameplay videos showcasing professional teams trying Project Phoenix.

One video features FaZe Clan facing Team Spirit in the custom mode.

While another shows Natus Vincere taking on FURIA Esports.

The chaotic gameplay clearly caught the players off guard. During one match, FaZe in-game leader Finn “karrigan” Andersen joked that he might start a career in VALORANT after experimenting with the abilities.

Meanwhile, FURIA in-game leader Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo laughed during the match and called the mode “CS 3.0”.

The Counter-Strike Community Is Loving The Idea

Early reactions from fans have been surprisingly positive.

Many viewers joked that ESL had accidentally created a new version of Counter-Strike entirely. One comment on the gameplay video joked that while everyone else is playing CS2, ESL appears to be testing “CS3”.

Others immediately compared the concept to VALORANT’s hero abilities, with some joking that pro teams were getting a preview of Riot’s tactical shooter inside Counter-Strike itself.

Some fans even suggested that the mode would be perfect for live showmatches at esports events, where the unpredictable abilities could make for entertaining arena moments.

How To Play Project Phoenix Yourself

The mode is already available through the Steam Workshop.

The Project Phoenix download currently sits at just under 100 MB and has attracted thousands of players shortly after release, with more than 12,000 unique visitors and over 6,000 subscribers so far.

Players who want to try it can connect to a public server using the console command provided by the creators.

Just put this ‘connect 51.77.68.93:27030’ in the console.

Because it’s a community mod rather than an official update, the mode currently exists purely as a custom experience rather than something built directly into Counter-Strike 2.

Still, it’s an interesting glimpse at what Counter-Strike might look like if abilities ever became part of the core gameplay.

For now though, Project Phoenix remains exactly what it was designed to be, a fun experiment that blends Counter-Strike’s classic tactical format with the chaotic creativity of a hero shooter.

The post Playing VALORANT In CS2 Is Now Possible With Project Phoenix appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

ESL has officially unveiled the full list of invited teams for IEM Rio 2026, confirming the return of Tier 1 Counter-Strike to Brazil after a two year absence. The event will take place from April 13 to 19, with playoffs held at the Farmasi Arena, and will feature a $1,000,000 prize pool alongside valuable points in the ESL Grand Slam race.

The invited teams were determined using Valve Regional Standings data from January 5, 2026, with spots allocated across the main event, global closed qualifier, and Americas closed qualifier. Several high profile organisations have accepted their invites, while others have opted out, reshaping the final field.

IEM Rio 2026 Tournament Format Explained

The main event will feature 16 teams competing in two double elimination groups of eight. The top three teams from each group will advance to the playoffs, where they will battle it out for the trophy and a share of the seven figure prize pool.

Outside of the main event, 24 teams will fight through the closed qualifiers. Sixteen teams will play in the global closed qualifier, while eight teams will compete in the Americas closed qualifier. Two teams from the global bracket and one from the Americas will earn a place in the main event.

IEM Rio 2026 Main Event Invited Teams

The following teams have received direct invites to the main event through the VRS system.

• Passion UA
• FURIA
• Team Vitality
• Team Falcons
• Team Spirit
• Natus Vincere
• MOUZ
• Aurora Gaming
• B8
• Legacy
• G2 Esports
• Team Liquid
• 3DMAX
• Global Closed Qualifier Winner
• Global Closed Qualifier Runner Up
• Americas Closed Qualifier Winner

Eight of the top ten teams in the January VRS rankings will be present in Rio, with the notable exceptions of FaZe Clan and The MongolZ, both of whom declined their invites.

Global Closed Qualifier Teams

Sixteen teams will compete in the global closed qualifier, featuring a mix of established names and rising contenders.

• PARIVISION
• Heroic
• FUT Esports
• BC.Game Esports
• GamerLegion
• BetBoom Team
• Gentle Mates
• HOTU
• Fnatic
• EYEBALLERS
• K27
• 9INE
• Open Qualifier Team
• Open Qualifier Team
• Open Qualifier Team
• Open Qualifier Team

Americas Closed Qualifier Teams

The Americas closed qualifier will see strong representation from Brazil and South America.

• Imperial Esports
• Fluxo
• BESTIA
• YNG Sharks
• Open Qualifier Team
• Open Qualifier Team
• Open Qualifier Team
• Open Qualifier Team

The teams invited to #IEM Rio 2026! 🇧🇷

🟡Main event
🔵Global Closed Qualifiers
🟢Americas Closed Qualifiers pic.twitter.com/bES9NzN4gq

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) January 15, 2026

Teams That Declined Their Invites

Several major organisations have chosen not to participate in IEM Rio 2026, impacting both the main event and qualifier stages.

Main event declines include FaZe Clan and The MongolZ.

Global closed qualifier declines include Astralis, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and FlyQuest.

Americas closed qualifier declines include paiN Gaming, NRG, and M80, with scheduling and server region concerns believed to be contributing factors.

Roster Rules And Key Deadlines

All teams must maintain a majority of their roster from the original VRS invite date to remain eligible. The roster submission deadline for closed qualifiers is January 18, 2026, while main event teams must finalise rosters by March 30, 2026.

Brazil Welcomes Tier 1 Counter-Strike Back To Rio

IEM Rio 2026 marks the first Tier 1 Counter-Strike event in Brazil since 2022, when Natus Vincere lifted the trophy in front of a passionate home crowd. With elite teams like Vitality, Spirit, Falcons, and FURIA confirmed, the return to Rio is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated CS2 events of the year.

All matches will be streamed live on ESL’s official Twitch and YouTube channels, with tickets available for fans looking to attend in person.

The post IEM Rio 2026 Invited Teams Revealed Confirming The Full Line-Up for Brazil Return appeared first on Shane the Gamer.