Red Bull Fuels IEM Kraków 2026 as ESL’s Official Energy Drink Partner

Esports powerhouse ESL has teamed up with energy drink giant Red Bull as the official energy drink partner for IEM Kraków 2026, the kickoff Tier 1 Counter-Strike 2 event of the year running January 28 to February 8 in Poland’s vibrant city of Kraków.

This marks Red Bull’s latest dive into CS2 esports, building on prior deals like DreamHack partnerships and BLAST’s Austin Major sponsorship.

Epic $1.25M Showdown: Format and Stakes

The $1m  main prize pool plus $250k in club incentives draws the top 24 teams from Valve’s January Regional Standings:

• Play-In Stage: 16 teams battle in double elimination for 8 Group Stage spots (joining 8 direct invites).
• Group Stage: 16 teams; top three from each group advance to playoffs (seeded into quarters or semis).
• Playoffs: Six-team single elimination (Bo3 until Bo5 Grand Final).

Kraków debuts as host after Katowice’s long run (2013-2025), secured via ESL FACEIT Group’s multi year city deal.

Growing Partner Lineup

• ZOWIE: Official peripherals partner, supplying pro grade gaming monitors.
• Red Bull: Powers players and fans with its signature energy boost.

Red Bull’s CS2 footprint expands further, including hosting the €50k Red Bull Flick pro-am tournament. This partnership amps up hype for IEM’s role in the ESL Pro Tour global circuit.

Daniel Davis

Since: October 29, 2025

Hi, I’m Dan, an experienced esports journalist and author passionate about competitive gaming and digital culture. I specialize in titles like Counter Strike, Call of Duty, League of Legends, and Valorant. I’ve documented the rise of professional esports from local tournaments to global stages. With a sharp focus on player strategy, team chemistry, and the evolving industry landscape, I deliver in depth insight into the world’s most popular competitive games.

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