Action underway at $1.25M Intel Extreme Masters Beijing

Action got underway Monday at the $1.25 million Intel Extreme Masters Beijing tournament with 16 Counter-Strike 2 teams battling for a top prize of $360,000.

Teams are divided into two groups for the double-elimination group stage that runs through Wednesday, with all matches best-of-three.

Group stage winners move directly to the playoff semifinals, with runners-up advancing as quarterfinal high seeds and third-place teams as the quarterfinal low seeds. The single-elimination playoff bracket begins Friday with all matches best-of-three until Sunday's best-of-five grand final.

In Monday's Group A upper-bracket quarterfinals, Natus Vincere swept Team Falcons and HEROIC swept B8. The MongolZ rallied for a 2-1 win against Legacy and FURIA also came from behind for a 2-1 win over FaZe Clan.

There were two sweeps in the Group B upper-bracket quarterfinals, too, with MOUZ beating TYLOO and Team Liquid defeating Aurora Gaming. BetBoom Team and PARIVISION both won 2-1 with reverse sweeps against 9z Team and G2 Esports, respectively.

Tuesday's schedule:

Group A upper-bracket semifinals: The MongolZ vs. HEROIC, FURIA vs. Natus Vincere

Group A lower-bracket quarterfinals: Legacy vs. B8, FaZe Clan vs. Team Falcons

Group B upper-bracket semifinals: MOUZ vs. BetBoom Team, Team Liquid vs. PARIVISION

Group B lower-bracket quarterfinals: TYLOO vs. 9z Team, Aurora Gaming vs. G2 Esports

IEM Beijing 2026 prize pool (player prize/team share):

1. TBD, $360,000 ($125,000/$235,000)

2. TBD, $210,000 ($50,000/$160,000)

3. TBD, $160,000 ($30,000/$130,000)

4. TBD, $120,000 ($20,000/$100,000)

5-6. TBD, $87,500 ($12,500/$75,000)

7-8. TBD, $54,500 ($7,000/$47,500)

9-12. TBD, $25,000 ($5,000/$20,000)

13-16. TBD, $4,000 ($4,000/$0)

--Field Level Media