ESL has announced big updates to the reward system for the upcoming Intel Extreme Masters China 2026, and this comes as a result of IEM Cologne 2026 getting the Major status. The restructuring enhances the overall prize pool and proportionately improves the club rewards available to participating teams, reflecting ESL’s commitment to the Intel Extreme Masters.
Originally set to boast a prize pool of $1 million, IEM China 2026 will get a $250K boost thanks to the reallocation of funds that were earmarked for IEM Cologne’s club rewards. With Valve taking over IEM Cologne’s prize pool, ESL has decided to reroute that money from Cologne to China, giving the participants a significant financial upside.
Updated Prize Pool
ESL is updating the prize pool, giving significant upside to the teams, especially those finishing at the top.
- 1st – $235,000
- 2nd – $160,000
- 3rd – $130,000
- 4th – $100,000
- 5th – $75,000
- 6th – $47,500
- 7th – $20,000
While this update brings good news for the participants, there is more to it than meets the eye. ESL’s restructuring will ensure that consistent participation of teams is fairly rewarded, thereby building on a broader strategy by ESL to share revenue with teams. The new revenue model has proven to be a win-win situation for teams and organisers alike.
This restructuring ensures that teams that are part of the ESL Pro Club Tour get the entire prize pool, despite IEM Cologne said to be played outside the ESL Pro Tour and as a Major with different qualification criteria.
China has been a promising location for ESL’s IEM, and after back-to-back years of success, the event will once again be held in a Chinese city that is to be announced. With the event getting a bigger prize pool, IEM China will be one for all the teams to look out for.