Brazil seems to be preparing for total CS—style chaos again – ESL has officially presented the lists of those who will go to conquer Rio. This event, by the way, will be the first Tier-1 samba-drome competition in the last couple of years, and, frankly, the line-up of participants looks like a crazy cocktail of favorites and ambitious nounames.
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IEM Rio 2026 participants and the current Valve rating
The situation with the invites, apparently, turned out to be strange. Although eight of the top ten teams in the January Valve (VRS) rating confirmed their participation, two giants — FaZe Clan and The MongolZ — suddenly declined invitations.
By the way, the main list already includes such cars as Team Spirit, NAVI and G2, so we are unlikely to feel the lack of stars. In fact, the competition for prizes in Rio from April 13 to 19 promises to be hot, especially considering the crazy support of local fans.
Qualification results and tournament match schedule
The closed qualifiers will start on January 18, and there, I must say, a notable cut is planned. In the American sector, for example, Imperial Esports, Fluxo and BESTIA will be fighting — however, without paiN Gaming and NRG, who also decided to skip the party.
In the global grid, in turn, we will see Fnatic, Heroic and BetBoom Teams. Only three slots — two from the world and one from America — separate these teams from entering the main arena. It is logical that the pressure will go through the roof.
An analysis of the favorites and the complete lineups in Rio
By the way, there are some interesting names among the participants of the main event:
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Local heroes: FURIA (Brazilians are always dangerous at home);
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CIS Landing Force: NAVI, Team Spirit, Aurora Gaming, Passion UA;
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European tops: MOUZ, G2, 3DMAX.
Interestingly, NAVI will come to Rio as the current (albeit intermittently) kings of this venue, because they were the ones who took the title in 2022. Apparently, the motivation to repeat the success of the “born to win” will be exorbitant.
The main outsiders and the statistics of wins in the selections
There’s no denying that the bounce list looks impressive. In addition to the mentioned FaZe, Astralis, Ninjas in Pyjamas and FlyQuest refused to participate in the selections. Apparently, the tournament schedule is so tight that even legendary tags have to choose where to spend their energy. It’s a shame, of course, but it gives teams like BC a chance.Game or Gentle Mates make themselves known at the top of their voices.
Where to watch live broadcasts of the ESL Championship
If you plan to buy stickers or just watch top CS, all IEM Rio 2026 matches will be played on ESL channels on Twitch and YouTube. For those who want to experience the atmosphere live, tickets are already on Ticketmaster — hurry up before the Brazilians sweep everything out. Follow the chants of the fans, focus on the individual game of Team Spirit and get ready for a powerful show in April.
Rio Ticket: How to get to IEM Rio 2026 at Farmasi Arena
Brazil is once again preparing for total madness, because from April 13 to 19, Counter-Strike 2 officially occupies the Farmasi Arena. By the way, this place has already become legendary for the global CS community, and this time 16 top teams will come there to raffle the jackpot of 1,000,000 dollars. To be honest, the hype around the event is such that tickets are flying faster than Don Hayes headshots, so let’s figure out how to snatch our place on the podium.
CS2 match format and prize pool
The tournament will be held according to the classic, but in a well-thought-out scheme: the group stage starts on April 13 in the GSL format, where each team has the right to make only one mistake. All matches are exclusively Bo3, so randomness is kept to a minimum. The most interesting part will begin on April 17, when the single-elimination playoffs will start in front of 19,000 crazy fans. The winner will take home $125,000, and the Bo5 grand final promises to be a real test of endurance.
How to buy official tickets for IEM Rio 2026
In fact, the main and only reliable source is the official portal — esl.gg/rio . The first wave of sales, let me remind you, started back in December 2025, and many categories are already in the sold out status.
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Group stage: The most budget options start from about 80 BRL (about 2,200 rubles).
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Playoff weekend: You will have to pay from 200 to 300 BRL in 2-3 days in the thick of the action.
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VIP status: For those who want to sit close to the stage and breathe the same air as their idols, the price tag goes up to 1000 BRL.
Apparently, the second wave of sales in January 2026 will be 20-30% more expensive, so it’s a bad idea to delay. By the way, beware of overbooking on StubHub, forgeries at Brazilian tournaments are common.
Instructions for visiting the Farmasi Arena stadium
The arena is located at 3401 Av. Embaixador Abelardo Bueno, in the Barra da Tijuca district. It is best to get from Galeão Airport by Uber — the trip will cost about 100 BRL and will take 40 minutes if you are lucky with traffic jams.
Inside, you will find not only top-end esports, but also local flavor: the food court areas are packed with Brazilian street food like coxinha and pão de queijo. By the way, don’t forget to take a look at the NAVI and FURIA merch stands – this is a must—have item on the program.
Important tips for the traveler:
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Climate: In April in Rio, the heat is below +30 °C, and the arena only partially protects from the sun — sunscreen and water are absolutely necessary.
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Visa: Ukrainians are lucky, they don’t need a visa for up to 90 days, but keep your passport and a printed ticket reservation with you.
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Timing: Arrive at least 2 hours before the start — security control at the entrance is tight, like at a major.
Action plan: A short checklist
It seems that the preparation requires clarity: first we take tickets for esl.gg/rio then we book accommodation in the area of Barra da Tijuca (Hilton or Airbnb is a priority). A round trip flight from Europe will take 500-800 euros out of the budget, so the total cost of the trip will be 1500-3000 dollars per person. Is it expensive? Maybe. But to see NAVI or FURIA lift a trophy over their heads in Rio is priceless.
