Esports tournament organiser ESL has announced that it will adjust its Club Rewards amount for 2026’s Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) China.
The $250,000 (~£186,000) Club Reward that was initially allocated to IEM Major Cologne will instead be moved to China, increasing the Counter-Strike 2 event’s Club Reward to $950,000 (~£708,000).
In a blog post online, ESL explained that the reasoning was because IEM Cologne is designated as a Major in the 2026 season. As such, total winnings for such events are determined by the game’s developer, Valve.