IEM Beijing 2026 has its first wave of confirmed teams. ESL has invited 13 teams to Tier 1 Counter-Strike‘s return to the Chinese capital, marking the first IEM Beijing since 2019. The event runs from November 2 to November 8 at the Bloomage Biotech·Biohyalux ECM Arena in Wukesong, with a total prize pool of $1,250,000. Team Vitality and Team Spirit both turned down their invites, opening the door for Parivision and FaZe Clan.
Here is the full list of invited teams, why two top sides skipped the event, and what is left to be decided.
IEM Beijing 2026 Invited Teams List
ESL confirmed 13 of the 16 total slots for IEM Beijing 2026 through the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). The remaining 3 spots will be filled by Closed Qualifiers.
The 13 invited teams are:
- Team Falcons
- MOUZ
- Natus Vincere
- Legacy
- FURIA
- BetBoom
- G2
- Aurora
- Parivision
- FaZe Clan
- Team Liquid
- 9z
- The MongolZ
Team Falcons lead the field as the world’s number one ranked team. MOUZ and Natus Vincere follow as the next-highest ranked sides in attendance. FURIA also joins the lineup as the defending champions of the event’s predecessor, IEM Chengdu 2025.
Team Liquid, 9z, and The MongolZ round out the list through regional representation from North America, South America, and Asia, respectively.
Why Vitality and Spirit Declined Their Invites
Only 2 teams turned down their IEM Beijing 2026 invites out of the 10 global VRS slots on offer.
ESL confirmed that Team Vitality declined due to 2 players taking paternity leave during the event window. Vitality is already using stand-ins at BLAST Porto and PGL Masters Bucharest and would have needed a second replacement player for Beijing, so the roster opted out entirely. The decision pauses their push for a third ESL Grand Slam, after the team completed back-to-back Grand Slams as recently as April 2026.
Team Spirit cited a packed tournament calendar as their reason for skipping the event. Spirit is set to compete at PGL Masters Bucharest, which finishes only 2 days before IEM Beijing begins, and BLAST Rivals Hong Kong starts the day after the IEM Beijing Grand Final.
Parivision and FaZe Step In
With Vitality and Spirit out, Parivision and FaZe Clan take their places as the next-eligible teams in the VRS standings. The switch gives both rosters a chance to build ranking points and match form ahead of the PGL Singapore Major, which begins December 3.
IEM Beijing 2026 Qualifier Spots
Three places in the 16-team field remain open. Two slots go to the winner and runner-up of the Global Closed Qualifier, while the final spot belongs to the winner of the Asia Closed Qualifier. Those qualifiers are set to take place later this month, with the full 16-team lineup expected shortly after.
