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Image credit: Diana Duarte, BLAST
Following the post-Major break, IEM Kraków 2026 is the first event of the year hosted by ESL, marking the start of the ESL Pro Tour. The top 24 teams in Valve’s first-person shooter will compete in the Polish city for a chance to win a share of $1m (~£726,850) in prize money.
With the world’s best teams in attendance, Esports Insider takes a look at players to look out for in what is set to be a highly competitive tournament.
Can mezii Continue His Strong Start?
Team Vitality’s William ‘mezii’ Merriman looks to build on a strong start to the 2026 season with a solid performance in Kraków. While the French esports organisation was bested by Team Falcons at BLAST Bounty Season 1, Mezii’s ace against Virtus.pro in the online qualifiers is one of the season’s early highlights.
Throughout 2025, the British player cemented his place as one of the world’s best anchors, playing an integral role in Team Vitality’s often unbreakable defence. With 2026 already off to a strong start with another top-four finish at BLAST Bounty Season 1, the team continues to put itself in contention for championship glory.
mezii and Team Vitality will begin their IEM Kraków 2026 campaign in Group B. With FaZe Clan on the same side of the bracket, there’s a possibility of the StarLadder Budapest Major finalists facing off before teams head to the TAURON Arena for the playoffs.
All Eyes on Krimbo
Image credit: PGL
After navigating its way through a highly competitive closed qualifier at BLAST Bounty, Team Liquid seems to have turned a corner following a turbulent 2025 season. However, ahead of the first ESL-sanctioned event of the year, the organisation announced that Keith ‘NAF’ Markovic won’t be attending IEM Kraków due to family matters.
As a result, German lurker Karim ‘Krimbo’ Moussa will step in as a temporary stand-in, making his first Tier 1 appearance in six months. Krimbo last competed at Fragadelphia Blocktober, with BIG scoring a top-eight finish, resulting in the team missing out on a spot at the Budapest Major.
Team Liquid will begin its IEM Kraków 2026 run as one of 16 teams competing in the event’s Play-In stage. The refreshed roster will play against Ninjas in Pyjamas in a BLAST Bounty rematch as it looks to secure a place in the Group Stage without a full-strength roster.
The Rise of xiELO
Image credit: StarLadder
Since joining Parivision in June 2025, Valdislav ‘xiELO’ Lysov has quickly established himself as one of Counter-Strike’s rising stars. A strong showing in the BLAST Bounty Grand Final saw the rifler fend off four opponents and complete a one-versus-two clutch with ease, helping the all-Russian side lift its first Tier 1 trophy.
Following its impressive performance at BLAST Bounty, Parivision has skyrocketed towards the top of the global VRS and now has the opportunity to carry its momentum into Poland, the organisation’s second high-profile event of the year.
With plenty of attention on xiELO as he gains more Tier 1 experience, the 19-year-old has the talent required to elevate Parivision amongst the world’s best teams as focus shifts towards qualification for the IEM Cologne Major.
Can FalleN Lead FURIA to Glory?
Image credit: ESL
FURIA headed into the Budapest Major as the team to beat after securing four tournament victories in the space of three months. A top-eight finish at the Major allowed the team to hold onto the top spot in January’s VRS. With Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo at the helm, FURIA placed in the top four at BLAST Bounty Season 1 after its campaign came to an end at the hands of an in-form Parivision side.
At 34, FalleN is one of the oldest Counter-Strike players competing at the highest level. Armed with a wealth of experience as an in-game leader, an AWPer, and a rifler, he remains a valuable asset for a team hoping to retain its place at the top of the global standings.
After missing out on consecutive Grand Finals since victory at BLAST Rivals Fall 2025, a strong performance from FalleN in Kraków will point the team in the direction of another playoff appearance.
The Return of S1mple
Image credit: Helena Kristiansson, ESL
IEM Kraków will see Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev compete at an Intel Extreme Masters event for the first time in three years. Following BC.GAME’s acquisition of the former SAW core, the team inherited a place in the top 25 of the VRS to earn a place at its second-ever Tier 1 tournament.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in Counter-Strike’s history, s1mple’s return to a high-profile event marks the latest chapter in his storied career. So far, the Ukrainian legend has struggled to secure places in notable competitions, making his Kraków appearance all the more significant as BC.GAME aims to hold on to its high VRS standing.
BC.GAME faces off against Legacy in its opening Play-In match, and a victory can spark a run into the Group Stage, along with securing valuable VRS points that will prove crucial in s1mple’s quest to return to the Major stage once again.
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