The second and final Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major of 2022, the IEM Rio Major, begins on October 31st. The top 24 CS:GO teams from around the world will convene in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a chance at the biggest prize the game has to offer. The winners will not only earn the bulk of the $1,250,000 prize pool, but will have their names etched into Counter-Strike history. Here is everything you need to know to keep up with the IEM Rio Major.
Image Credit ESL
IEM Rio Major Schedule and Format
The IEM Rio Major will begin with 24 teams split into three groups of eight. Teams qualified as either Legends, Challengers, or Contenders based on their placement in the Regional Major Rankings events (RMR) held during early October. To see every team that qualified for the IEM Rio Major and their qualification tier, check here.
The Challengers Stage runs from October 31st to November 3rd. The eight Challengers and eight Contenders will battle it out in a 16 team Swiss system. Teams will play best-of-ones until they have either two wins or two losses. All elimination and advancement games will be best-of-threes. Teams earn a spot in the next stage by winning three total matches. Seeding within the Swiss bracket will be done based on initial seeding and strength of opponents (Buchholz system).
The Legends Stage takes place from November 5th to 8th. The eight advancing teams from the Challengers Stage will meet up with the eight Legends qualifiers for a second 16 team Swiss system. The format and advancement criteria will be the exact same as the previous stage. Once eight teams hit the three-win mark, we’ll move on to the playoffs.
Finally, the Champions Stage will begin on November 10th with the Grand Finals on November 13th. This will be a single elimination bracket where the top eight teams will be cut down to just one champion. All matches, including the Grand Finals, will be best-of-three. Teams will be seeded based on their performance in the Legends Stage.
All Teams Alive in the IEM Rio Major
*Unbolded = Eliminated
Europe & CIS
FaZe Clan / Ninjas in Pyjamas / Sprout / Team Spirit / Natus Vincere / ENCE / Heroic / Cloud9 / Bad News Eagles / OG / Team Vitality / BIG / MOUZ / Team GamerLegion / Fnatic / Outsiders
North & South America
Team Liquid / Evil Geniuses / 9z Team / 00 Nation / FURIA Esports / Imperial Esports
Asia & Oceania
IHC Esports / Grayhound Gaming
IEM Rio Major Scores & Results
Outsiders are your IEM Rio Major Champions!
Champions Stage
GRAND FINALS
Outsiders 2 – 0 Heroic (16 – 12 Mirage, 16 – 5 Overpass)
Semifinals
MOUZ 1 – 2 Outsiders (10 – 16 Ancient, 16 – 14 Overpass, 7 – 16 Inferno)
Heroic 2 – 1 FURIA Esports (6 – 16 Inferno, 19 – 17 Ancient, 16 – 5 Nuke)
MOUZ and FURIA Esports Eliminated from the IEM Rio Major.
Quarterfinals
Fnatic 0 – 2 Outsiders (11 – 16 Inferno, 8 – 16 Mirage)
Cloud9 1 – 2 MOUZ (16 – 11 Inferno, 13 – 16 Overpass, 9 – 16 Ancient)
Heroic 2 – 0 Team Spirit (16 – 8 Vertigo, 16 – 14 Overpass)
Natus Vincere 1 – 2 FURIA Esports (16 – 14 Nuke, 10 – 16 Ancient, 10 – 16 Mirage)
Fnatic, Cloud9, Team Spirit, and Natus Vincere Eliminated from the IEM Rio Major.
Legends Stage
Round 5
| MOUZ 2 – 1 ENCE |
| BIG 0 – 2 Natus Vincere |
| Team Liquid 1 – 2 Team Spirit |
MOUZ, Natus Vincere, and Team Spirit Advance to the Champions Stage.
ENCE, BIG, and Team Liquid are Eliminated from the IEM Rio Major.
Round 4
|
High Matches |
Low Matches |
| MOUZ 0 – 2 Outsiders | Natus Vincere 2 – 0 Bad News Eagles |
| BIG 0 – 2 Fnatic | ENCE 2 – 0 Team Vitality |
| Heroic 2 – 1 Team Liquid | Team Spirit 2 – 0 Sprout |
Outsiders, Fnatic, and Heroic Advance to the Champions Stage.
Bad News Eagles, Team Vitality, and Sprout are Eliminated from the IEM Rio Major.
Round 3
|
High Matches |
Mid Matches |
Low Matches |
| Heroic 0 – 2 Cloud9 | Natus Vincere 14 – 16 Team Liquid | FaZe Clan 1 – 2 Bad News Eagles |
| FURIA Esports 2 – 0 BIG | MOUZ 19 – 17 Team Vitality | Sprout 2 – 0 Ninjas in Pyjamas |
| Team Spirit 14 – 16 Outsiders | ||
| ENCE 7 – 16 Fnatic |
Cloud9 and FURIA Esports Advance to the Champions Stage.
FaZe Clan and Ninjas in Pyjamas are Eliminated from the IEM Rio Major.
Round 2
|
High Matches |
Low Matches |
| MOUZ 7 – 16 BIG | Sprout 5 – 16 Team Liquid |
| Natus Vincere 14 – 16 Cloud9 | FaZe Clan 6 – 16 Team Vitality |
| Team Spirit 13 – 16 FURIA Esports | ENCE 16 – 7 Bad News Eagles |
| Heroic 16 – 2 Fnatic | Ninjas in Pyjamas 12 – 16 Outsiders |
Round 1
Team Liquid 2 – 16 MOUZ
Team Spirit 16 – 9 Bad News Eagles
FaZe Clan 14 – 16 Cloud9
Sprout 11 – 16 BIG
Natus Vincere 25 – 21 Team Vitality
Heroic 16 – 9 Outsiders
ENCE 6 – 16 FURIA Esports
Ninjas in Pyjamas 13 – 16 Fnatic
Challengers Stage
Round 5
| OG 1 – 2 Team Vitality |
| Team GamerLegion 0 – 2 Cloud9 |
| Fnatic 2 – 0 9z Team |
Team Vitality, Cloud9, and Fnatic Advance to the Legends Stage.
OG, Team GamerLegion, and 9z Team are Eliminated from the IEM Rio Major.
Round 4
|
High Matches |
Low Matches |
| BIG 2 – 0 9z Team | OG 2 – 0 IHC Esports |
| Outsiders 2 – 0 Fnatic | Team Vitality 2 – 0 Grayhound Gaming |
| Team GamerLegion 0 – 2 FURIA Esports | Evil Geniuses 0 – 2 Cloud9 |
BIG, Outsiders, and FURIA Esports Advance to the Legends Stage.
IHC Esports, Grayhound Gaming, and Evil Geniuses are Eliminated from the IEM Rio Major.
Round 3
|
High Matches |
Mid Matches |
Low Matches |
| MOUZ 2 – 1 Fnatic | Evil Geniuses 17 – 19 9z Team | 00 Nation 1 – 2 IHC Esports |
| Team GamerLegion 0 – 2 Bad News Eagles | Team Vitality 12 – 16 Outsiders | Cloud9 2 – 0 Imperial Esports |
| BIG 16 – 6 Grayhound Gaming | ||
| OG 16 – 19 FURIA Esports |
MOUZ and Bad News Eagles Advance to the Legends Stage.
00Nation and Imperial Esports are Eliminated from the IEM Rio Major.
Round 2
|
High Matches |
Low Matches |
| Evil Geniuses 10 – 16 MOUZ | Outsiders 16 – 12 IHC Esports |
| BIG 11 – 16 Bad News Eagles | 00 Nation 6 – 16 FURIA Esports |
| Team Vitality 10 – 16 Team GamerLegion | 9z Team 16 – 11 Imperial Esports |
| OG 13 – 16 Fnatic | Cloud9 17 – 19 Grayhound Gaming |
Round 1
9z Team 6 – 16 Team GamerLegion
MOUZ 16 – 6 Outsiders
Bad News Eagles 16 – 3 00 Nation
OG 16 – 5 Grayhound Gaming
BIG 19 – 16 FURIA Esports
Evil Geniuses 16 – 9 IHC Esports
Team Vitality 16 – 9 Imperial Esports
Cloud9 17 – 19 Fnatic
