ESL has announced that the Intel Extreme Masters will return to Beijing in November for the 16-team IEM Beijing 2026, the first IEM Beijing since 2019.
IEM Beijing 2026 will take place from November 2 to November 8, marking a move away from IEM Chengdu, which hosted IEM events in 2024 and 2025.
IEM Beijing 2026 details: Prize pool, 360 Stage & a record-breaking expected audience
Organized in partnership with the Beijing Esports Industry Development Association as a part of the ‘Beijing Esports’ initiative, the tournament will take place at the Bloomage Biotech·Biohyalux ECM Arena in Wukesong, Haidian District.
Marking its first return to Beijing since 2019, the event will see 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams compete for the IEM Beijing trophy and a total prize pool of $1,250,000.
The event will be the third ESL event of ESL Grand Slam Season VII, following IEM Atlanta and the upcoming ESL Pro League Season 24 in Katowice in October. Vitality secured the previous ESL Grand Slam at IEM Rio 2026.
For the first time since the IEM Rio Major 2022, an ESL event will feature a 360-degree stage design. With an expected audience of over 45,000 fans, the event is set to become the largest standalone IEM event ever held in Asia to date.
Building on the success of the live-audience group stage at IEM Chengdu 2025, IEM Beijing will once again welcome fans throughout all six tournament days, offering more opportunities to experience world-class Counter-Strike action live from the arena.
In addition to three days of live group stage matches and playoffs, fans can look forward to other activities such as signing sessions with all participating teams and a wide range of on-site activities across all competition days.
ESL and Beijing Esports Industry Development Association collaboration announced
As part of the announcement, ESL released the following statement from Director of Counter-Strike 2 Esports at ESL FACEIT Group, Marc Winther, who shared:
“Over the past years, we’ve experienced the incredible passion and energy of Chinese fans firsthand. With IEM Beijing 2026, we’re excited to take things to the next level through a 360-degree stage design and a range of fan activations, while further deepening our commitment to the region.
Winther continued, “Together with the Beijing Esports Industry Development Association, we look forward to welcoming IEM’s largest live audience in Asia to date and creating new opportunities for fans and partners.”
As part of the collaboration between ESL FACEIT Group and the Beijing Esports Industry Development Association, both parties have expressed a shared commitment to further deepen their cooperation within the esports ecosystem, working together to develop diverse initiatives to unlock the industry’s full potential locally.
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Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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