The MongolZ to Miss IEM Rio 2026 following schedule clash
- Ariunzayat Yunren
- Jan 16
- 2 min read
The MongolZ to miss at IEM Rio 2026, after the Mongolian side declined their invitation to ESL’s third major event of the year.
The tournament will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on April 13–19, 2026, with the playoffs hosted at Farmasi Arena during the final three days. IEM Rio returns in 2026 after skipping the 2025 edition.
Packed schedule likely behind the decision
The MongolZ’s decision appears to be influenced by a tight international schedule. IEM Rio begins just two days after PGL Bucharest 2026 and ends only one day before FISSURE Playground #3 in China is set to start. The MongolZ to miss IEM Rio 2026, because with back-to-back top-tier events across Europe, South America, and Asia, the travel demands would have been extremely difficult. As a result, The MongolZ are likely prioritising other tournaments in their spring calendar rather than committing to an intense three-event stretch.
IEM Rio 2026 details
IEM Rio 2026 will feature 16 teams competing for a $1,000,000 USD prize pool, while also contributing points toward the ESL Grand Slam race.
Among the invited teams for the main event are: Vitality, FURIA, Falcons, MOUZ, Natus Vincere, and Spirit, alongside other top international contenders.
ESL has also confirmed invitation spots for both the Global Closed Qualifier and the Americas Closed Qualifier. The qualification system will send two teams from the Global qualifier and one team from the Americas qualifier into the main event.
The MongolZ’s early 2026 tournament outlook
Even without Rio, The MongolZ are expected to have a stacked opening to the 2026 season, with their schedule shaping up across Europe and potentially Asia:
BLAST Bounty Season 1 (Jan 13–25) – Not attending
IEM Krakow 2026 (Jan 28–Feb 8) – Attending
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 (Feb 14–22) – Attending
ESL Pro League Season 23 (Feb 27–Mar 15) – Attending
BLAST Open Season 1 (Mar 18–29) – TBD
PGL Bucharest 2026 (Apr 3–11) – TBD
IEM Rio 2026 (Apr 13–19) – Not attending
FISSURE Playground #3 (Apr 20–26) – TBD
While fans will miss seeing The MongolZ in front of Rio’s passionate crowd, the team’s scheduling choice suggests a calculated focus on tournaments that better fit their competitive and travel priorities for the year.
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