The VRS Race Continues with Stake Ranked Episode 1

Owen Harsono Published 30/03/2026

Stake Ranked Episode 1 is one of the final tournaments before the invitations to the IEM Cologne Major are locked in, making it more important than it might seem. Below, we’ll break down everything you need to know about Stake Ranked Episode 1 and what participants are playing for.

Stake Ranked Episode 1 Event Overview

Event	Stake Ranked Episode 1
Start Date	1 April 2026
End Date	4 April 2026
Prize Pool	$100,000
Teams	8
Location	Barcelona, Spain

The VRS Race Continues

Though a $100,000 prize pool for a four-day event is a nice injection of cash for all the participating teams, that’s not the only reason they’re here.

The real prize is the VRS points, which are needed to qualify for the upcoming IEM Cologne Major 2026. Invitation deadlines are set for April 6, meaning this is one of the last opportunities for the best CS2 teams to bag as many points as possible.

Stake Ranked Episode 1 Teams

This tournament prefers quality over quantity, which is why there will only be eight teams at the event. Six teams were directly invited to the tournament. Meanwhile, the remaining two had to battle their way through the closed qualifiers.

Here are all the teams you’ll see at this event:

G2 Esports
GamerLegion
Ninjas in Pyjamas
HEROIC
BetBoom Team
Gentle Mates
9INE (Closed Qualifiers)
Team Nemesis (Closed Qualifiers)

Similar to BC.Game Masters Championship, G2 Esports are coming into the event as the highest-ranked team.

Format and Schedule

With only eight participating teams, the event will only feature one phase. There are no group stages, and all teams are immediately seeded into the playoffs.

Playoffs (April 1-4)

The eight participating teams immediately start the tournament in the playoffs.

The format follows a double-elimination bracket.
All matches will be played in Best of 3 format, including the Grand Final.

This format pretty much means teams have two lives. Losing a series will send them down to the lower bracket. Losing another means they are eliminated from the tournament.

First Round Matchups Revealed (Image via Liquipedia)

Prize Pool Distribution

Stake Ranked Episode 1 will have a total of $100,000 up for grabs, with some very notable teams in participation. Here is how the prize money will be distributed:

Team Placement	Prize Money Earned
1st	$25,000
2nd	$17,500
3rd	$13,500
4th	$11,000
5th – 6th	$9,000
7th – 8th	$7,500

The top two teams will also earn a direct invitation to the Stake Ranked Episode 2 Closed Qualifier, giving them a shot at competing in the next edition.

A $100,000 prize pool isn’t the largest pot we’ve seen, but again, what’s really on the line are the VRS points. Teams like Gentle Mates and BetBoom Team haven’t secured their spots in the Major just yet. So, them making a deep run – or winning the entire thing – could potentially help them cross the finish line.

For teams like G2, GamerLegion, and HEROIC, they’ve already locked in their Major spots. However, they’re still playing for which stage they’ll start from. Securing a Stage 3 or Stage 2 invite is a completely different story, as it lets them skip an entire stage at the Major.

Owen Harsono

About Owen Harsono

Owen lives for competition, spending most of his gaming hours on Dota 2, CS2, and Valorant. A regular on the SEA Dota 2 leaderboards, he combines his first-hand experience with a deep passion for esports journalism, following the professional scenes of all three esports betting titles religiously.

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