| Tournament | Tier | Prize pool | Begins | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESL Challenger League — Playoffs | C | 25000 United States Dollar | Apr 22, 2026 | View |
| BetBoom RUSH B! — Playoffs | C | 50000 United States Dollar | Apr 22, 2026 | View |
| CCT Global Finals — Playoffs | B | 31000 United States Dollar | Apr 23, 2026 | View |
| NODWIN Clutch Series — Playoffs | D | 50,000 United States Dollar | Apr 24, 2026 | View |
| LORGAR RANKINGS — Playoffs | C | 50000 United States Dollar | Apr 25, 2026 | View |
| ESL Challenger League — Playoffs | D | 2500 United States Dollar | Apr 26, 2026 | View |
| ESL Challenger League — Playoffs | D | 10000 United States Dollar | Apr 26, 2026 | View |
| ESL Challenger League — Playoffs | C | 17500 United States Dollar | Apr 26, 2026 | View |
| ESL Challenger League — Playoffs | C | 17500 United States Dollar | Apr 27, 2026 | View |
| Conquest of Prague — Playoffs | C | — | Apr 28, 2026 | View |
| BLAST Rivals — Group A | S | — | Apr 29, 2026 | View |
| BLAST Rivals — Group B | S | — | Apr 29, 2026 | View |
| BLAST Rivals — Playoffs | S | 350000 United States Dollar | May 1, 2026 | View |
| IEM — Stage 1 | S | — | Jun 1, 2026 | View |
| IEM — Stage 2 | S | — | Jun 5, 2026 | View |
| IEM — Playoffs | S | 1170000 United States Dollar | Jun 10, 2026 | View |
How is the CS2 calendar structured?
The year revolves around two Valve Majors, usually Q1 and Q3, operated by different tournament organisers. Around them cluster the premier independent events — IEM Katowice is a January fixture, IEM Cologne is summer, BLAST Premier runs three finals. ESL Pro League runs two full seasons (roughly Feb-April and Aug-October) with playoffs at the end. PGL events round out Tier-1 with events like PGL Bucharest and PGL Cluj-Napoca. Regional Tier-2 circuits (IEM regional, ESL Challenger, ESEA Premier) run parallel throughout the year feeding teams up into Tier-1.
| Quarter | Tier-1 fixtures | Tier-2 parallel |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 (Jan-Mar) | IEM Katowice · Valve Major #1 · BLAST Spring | ESEA Premier S1 · ESL Challenger stops |
| Q2 (Apr-Jun) | ESL Pro League S1 · PGL event · BLAST Rivals | Regional RMRs for Major #2 |
| Q3 (Jul-Sep) | IEM Cologne · Valve Major #2 · BLAST Fall | ESEA Premier S2 kickoff |
| Q4 (Oct-Dec) | ESL Pro League S2 · BLAST World Final · PGL event | Invitational season closers |
What are the biggest CS2 events to watch in 2026?
The two Valve Majors carry the most prestige and prize money ($1.25M+ plus sticker revenue). IEM Katowice is historically one of the most-viewed single CS events — a January LAN that kicks off the year. BLAST Premier World Final closes each season with a $1M+ prize pool. ESL Pro League Season 2 finals in December are a calendar capstone. Outside Tier-1, IEM Cologne draws massive in-person attendance and BLAST Rivals / BLAST Fall Final round out the premium schedule.
| Rank | Event | Cadence | Typical prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valve Major #1 (Q1) | Annual | $1.25M+ |
| 2 | Valve Major #2 (Q3) | Annual | $1.25M+ |
| 3 | IEM Katowice | Annual (January) | $1M |
| 4 | IEM Cologne | Annual (summer) | $1M |
| 5 | BLAST Premier World Final | Annual (Dec) | $1M |
| 6 | ESL Pro League Season 2 | Semi-annual | $500k |
| 7 | BLAST Premier Spring / Fall Final | Semi-annual | $500k |
| 8 | PGL events (Bucharest, Cluj, etc.) | Multiple/year | $500k-$1M |
How to read the tournament calendar
Each event on this calendar has a qualification window (RMR for Majors, circuit points for ESL Pro League, invites or open qualifiers for BLAST and IEM) and a main-event window. Main events typically run 7-10 days, with an opening stage (Swiss or round-robin) followed by playoffs. Most events broadcast on Twitch via the organiser's official channel and via co-streamers. Our all tournaments page carries the live event list plus per-event team lists.
Why follow the CS2 calendar for betting?
Prize-pool size and event prestige correlate with betting market depth. Tier-1 events carry deeper markets, more prop bets, and sharper closing lines because bookmakers invest analyst time proportional to volume. Tier-2 events have looser markets with more variance — often where sophisticated bettors find edge. Either way, knowing the calendar helps you plan bankroll, prep research and identify live-betting windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which CS2 tournaments have the biggest prize pools?
Valve Majors at $1.25M+ each (plus sticker revenue), followed by IEM Katowice and BLAST Premier World Final at $1M each.
Where can I watch the CS2 calendar live?
Twitch (official event channels) and YouTube. Co-streamers add language options for non-English viewers.
How do I know when a specific event is happening?
The live table above pulls every confirmed upcoming tournament from our database with date and prize pool. Our tournaments page adds per-event team lists.
Do all regions have equal calendar coverage?
No. Europe and North America dominate Tier-1. Tier-2 circuits exist in all regions (Americas, EMEA, Asia, Oceania) but the top prize pools concentrate in Europe/NA events.
