IEM Beijing 2026 Pick'ems Guide: Our CS2 predictions for the Playoffs

The group stage is done. Six teams survived at the Bloomage Biotech Biohyalux ECM Arena. The MongolZ and MOUZ earned a direct path to the semifinals. PARIVISION, Natus Vincere, FURIA and BetBoom still have a quarterfinal to win.

Image source

This is also the last six-team playoff bracket ESL will run in CS2. It closes the 2026 calendar, so every series matters.

On GoCore Pick'ems, every correct pick earns +1 and every wrong pick costs -1. One bad read erases one good read. Here is how we would lock in the bracket.

Quarterfinal CS2 Scores to Lock In: NAVI and FURIA

Natus Vincere over PARIVISION.

This is the series that scares us most. PARIVISION beat NAVI 2-1 in the ESL Pro League in October. Since then NAVI have looked sharper. They swept G2 in Bucharest, and that win showed a team that fixed its map pool. NAVI have the stronger veto game in a best-of-three. We take NAVI, and the likely CS2 scores are 2-1.

FURIA over BetBoom.

These two played a five-map thriller at the Thunderpick World Championship in October. FURIA won it. That result tells us the gap is small, but FURIA hold the edge in big moments. They also bring the better star power and more experience in tight series. We take FURIA 2-1.

Semifinals: Where CS2 Tournaments Get Decided

The MongolZ and MOUZ now have rest on their side. Rest helps. It also means they have not played a playoff map yet, and rust is real.

Natus Vincere over The MongolZ.

The MongolZ are dangerous in front of an Asian crowd, and the home-region energy will be loud. But NAVI are a better-prepared team in best-of-three series. They adapt between maps. If NAVI survive the early rounds on each map, their late-round calling wins it. We take NAVI 2-0 or 2-1.

FURIA over MOUZ.

MOUZ are a well-drilled side, and they will not collapse. But FURIA are in form. They beat NAVI at IEM Rio and again at IEM Krakow this year, which tells us they can beat the top tier. Their aggressive style should pressure MOUZ into rushed trades. We take FURIA 2-1.

If you play it safe in Pick'ems, these two semifinal picks are where a conservative player earns steady points.

The Grand Final: NAVI probably beat FURIA

The final is a best-of-five. That format rewards depth, and depth is where NAVI have the edge.

Here is the honest part. FURIA won both of their 2026 meetings with NAVI. If you want the high-risk, high-reward route, FURIA is your bold pick. Our read is different. In a longer series, NAVI have more ways to adjust, and they have shown it in recent weeks.

We lean NAVI to win the trophy, but this is the lowest-confidence pick on the page. Treat it as a calculated risk, not a lock.

Beyond Beijing: CS2 Upcoming Tournaments to Watch

When the trophy is lifted, the schedule does not slow down. BLAST Rivals: Fall 2026 is already on the calendar, and FURIA are in that field. Teams that peak here carry that momentum forward. Keep an eye on CS2 upcoming tournaments for early form signals.

Ready to back your reads? Head to GoCore, make your Pick'ems, and see how your bracket stacks up against the community. Drop your own picks in the comments and tell us where you disagree.

TL;DR

• Last six-team ESL playoff bracket in CS2, at IEM Beijing 2026
• Our picks: NAVI over PARIVISION, FURIA over BetBoom, NAVI over The MongolZ, FURIA over MOUZ
• Grand final lean: NAVI over FURIA in a best-of-five
• Lowest-confidence pick: the final, since FURIA won both 2026 meetings
• Lock your picks on GoCore Pick'ems before each series starts