IEM Beijing 2026 Global Qualifiers begin on September 2 with 16 Counter-Strike 2 teams chasing LAN spots.
Intel Extreme Masters Beijing 2026 Global Qualifiers kick off on Wednesday, September 2, with the first round of the double-elimination bracket play, when 16 teams begin their quest for a spot in the LAN event.
Esportbet brings you free Counter-Strike 2 betting previews and expert picks for the eight fixtures, with odds courtesy of the top-rated esports bookmakers.
3DMAX enter IEM Beijing qualifiers following a rough showing at the Esports World Cup, where they crashed out in 25th-32nd place.
This explains why the best CS2 bookmakers have them listed as +129 underdogs for their meeting with HEROIC, even though HEROIC have not been too great either.
HEROIC did not even qualify for the EWC, nor have they accomplished much besides winning Stake Ranked Episode 3 in July.
However, besides considering the teams’ form, it is worth noting that 3DMAX are reportedly having financial issues and delayed payments, which could affect the players’ performance.
The psychological element is there, but going by raw numbers, 3DMAX are the better team, with stronger results, better form, and a higher ceiling.
3DMAX to win
Magic have been enjoying a stretch of solid results over the last month.
They placed fourth in Astana, second at Stake Ranked Episode 2, and they made the semifinals of RES Showdown Europe Fall, before winning StarLadder StarSeries Fall qualifiers and exiting the Esports World Cup in ninth-16th.
K27 have been far less successful, as they have not attended as many big events nor have they been successful in lesser tournaments.
More recently, K27 exited Moscow Cyber Games qualifiers in ninth-11th, and they were not much more successful at the Esports World Cup, in 25th-32nd.
K27 have yet to show anything inspiring, and even though magic have not been hugely successful, their wins against 9z Team, 3DMAX, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and Gentle Mates are good indications that magic can handle K27.
magic -1.5 maps
MIBR did not amaze at the Esports World Cup, where they crashed out in 17th-24th place with defeats against Astralis and Legacy, and one 2-0 sweep of K27.
Before the underwhelming EWC run, MIBR dominated the regional StarSeries Fall qualifier and left a positive mark at XSE Pro League with wins against FaZe Clan and BIG.
Eternal Fire have not shown much this season, competing only in lower-tier C- and B-tier tournaments.
They have recently won the IEM Beijing Global Open Qualifier and the Stake Ranked Episode 4 open qualifier, albeit they have not beaten many high-rated teams.
MIBR have not been great, and Eternal Fire have not had to prove themselves, facing mainly lower-rated opponents.
However, EF have a deeper map pool, with a higher win rate on four maps in the rotation, suggesting they can force a closer game.
Over 2.5 maps
Nuclear TigeRES are in for a challenging game as they take on GamerLegion, who are among the toughest opponents NTR will have faced in recent months.
As a tier-two team, Nuclear TigeRES have spent most of the season playing in lower-rated events, and even there they have not accomplished anything memorable.
They are in good form, having won all but one of the last nine games, but again, against weaker teams.
GamerLegion’s win rate is lower, but they have attended the Esports World Cup, BLAST Bounty Summer, and the Cologne Major, winning just two games over a nine-match stretch.
Even though form seems lacking, GL also deserve some slack as they have not had it easy.
At -161.29, GamerLegion are an appealing bet to bounce back against a lower-rated opponent.
GamerLegion to win
BIG are expected to defeat Nemiga Gaming without many issues on Wednesday, and that is hard to argue with.
Like other top contenders in the IEM Beijing qualifiers, BIG have not won much in recent months, but they have attended some of the season’s biggest events, where they got to practise against stronger opponents.
Notably, BIG recently crashed out of the Esports World Cup with a 1-2 record, but they beat Aurora Gaming and took maps off G2 Esports and Team Spirit.
If they managed to take a bite out of two tier-one teams, BIG should do more than fine against a tier-two squad like Nemiga.
Nemiga have shown nothing to suggest they are a threat to any top-25 rated team, making them a tough sell for this match.
BIG -1.5 maps
Color, formerly 1win Team, are viewed as sizeable underdogs to defeat B8, and for all the right reasons.
B8 have not been hugely successful in their more recent competitive endeavours, with a 15th-16th place finish at the IEM Cologne Major 2026, ninth-11th at XSE Pro League, ninth-16th at the Esports World Cup, and third-fourth at RES Showdown Europe.
Despite the lack of notable results, B8 have produced some promising games, most recently at the EWC, with a 13-11 win against PARIVISION and a 2-1 win against Team Vitality.
Color have not attended any big events, but are in good shape, placing third at ESL Challenger League Season 52 Europe Cup #4 and top-four at the IEM Beijing Global Open Qualifier.
All that, however, proves little, as Color have only been facing lower-rated teams.
B8 are a more proven roster and a higher-rated squad, which should show on Wednesday.
B8 -1.5 maps
DENDELE CS are priced as favourites to defeat EYEBALLERS and bounce back from their rough display at BLAST Open Fall, where the Brazilians crashed out in last place with defeats against Team Spirit and Aurora Gaming.
Prior to that, DENDELE failed to qualify for the Esports World Cup, but left a positive mark at BLAST Bounty Summer with a win against FURIA and a 1-2 loss against FaZe Clan.
EYEBALLERS have also featured in two notable events in recent months, including XSE Pro League and BLAST Bounty Summer.
However, they could only manage ninth-11th and 17th-32nd place finishes, proving they lack the quality to compete against tier-one teams.
EYEBALLERS have not been successful, but their results over the last month have shown some promise, including wins against 9z Team and 3DMAX, and a close game against FaZe Clan.
Qualitatively, there is not much to separate the two squads, making EYEBALLERS a solid bet at these numbers.
EYEBALLERS to win
HOTU enter IEM Beijing Global Qualifier in great form, having won eight of the last 10 games.
Over that stretch, they have faced mostly lower-rated squads, but HOTU dominated most of the games, suggesting they are more than ready to face stronger teams.
PaiN Gaming’s win rate over the last 10 is not as impressive at 30%, but they have also had to face the likes of Natus Vincere, FURIA, 9z Team, Astralis, and The MongolZ.
While they deserve some slack for the losses, paiN have not shown much, so it is fair to doubt them and their chances of doing well against a weaker side.
Qualitatively, paiN appear stronger, but considering their poor form, HOTU are a more inviting bet.
HOTU to win
Mark Prezelj
Esports Betting Analyst
Mark Prezelj is a Slovenian esports betting analyst with over 3,500 articles at EsportBet and the founder of Lines64.com — someone who has been reading odds longer than most readers have been watching esports.
