Parivision, BC.Game, and Team Liquid have kick-started IEM Kraków 2026 on the front foot, with early victories in their first best-of-three matches of the event.
Elsewhere, the likes of GamerLegion and HEROIC are on the verge of elimination after entering the lower bracket.
BC.Game Survives Legacy Scare
The presence of BC.Game at Kraków marked the return of Counter-Strike legend Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev to an IEM stage for the first time in three years. After signing the SAW core during the post-Major break, the international roster found itself on the back foot in the opening half of Overpass as Legacy raced to a dominant 10-2 lead.
BC.Game continued to reduce the deficit with an excellent defensive showing of its own, managing to force overtime to strike an unlikely comeback. The defence continued to hold strong in overtime, completing the comeback to win the opening map 16-13.
With the momentum in its favour, BC.Game dominated the opening half of Inferno, ending the first half with a 10-round lead. A one-versus-four clutch from s1mple in round 14 cemented a convincing 13-1 victory, securing a 2-0 sweep despite the early scare.
Parivision Pushes Forward
Fresh from a BLAST Bounty Season 1 victory, Parivision began its Kraków campaign against a defiant HEROIC side that gave the most recent Tier 1 event winner a run for its money.
The all-Russian roster opened the series with a comfortable 13-6 victory on Inferno before HEROIC answered back on Dust II with a 13-6 scoreline of its own to force a decider on Ancient.
Another strong showing from Emil ‘nota’ Moskvitin spearheaded Parivision to another 13-6 win and a 2-1 series victory thanks to some pinpoint precision with the rifle in hand. The win sets up a clash against Aurora Gaming in the upper bracket’s second round.
Team Liquid Bests Ninjas In Pyjamas
As one of Kraków’s notable players to watch, Karim ‘Krimbo’ Moussa made his Team Liquid debut as a temporary stand-in in a crucial clash against Ninjas in Pyjamas. Team Liquid began on the front foot, taking NIP’s pick of Nuke 13-6 to secure an early lead.
Another strong defensive showing on Mirage sealed the deal for Team Liquid. A 13-8 scoreline completed a convincing 2-0 sweep, alongside earning vital Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points towards the IEM Cologne Major.
Despite the absence of Keith ‘NAF’ Markovic, Team Liquid continues to display strong levels of cohesion as it seeks to earn another playoff place.
PaiN Gaming And GamerLegion Suffer Early Defeats
Following defeats to Aurora Gaming and Astralis, respectively, GamerLegion and PaiN Gaming are among eight teams already on the verge of elimination.
GamerLegion looks to run the lower bracket gauntlet with a victory over HEROIC. However, the latter showed signs of brilliance against Parivision in the upper bracket. Meanwhile, the Brazilian side of PaiN Gaming takes on B8. After making the top four of the Austin Major, PaiN Gaming has struggled to rediscover its form in Tier 1 competition.
What’s Next?
The second day of IEM Kraków 2026 features a mixture of upper and lower bracket matches as the first wave of teams secure qualification for the Group Stage. For four teams in the lower bracket, their tournament comes to an early end.
Fans can tune into the event across ESL’s Twitch and YouTube channels from 12 PM GMT today (January 29th).
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