ESL Will Pay Teams $100K to Beat Team Vitality in IEM Rio Grand Final
Team Vitality have run rampant in the CS2 scene, destroying every team and winning tournaments with little to no issue. They’re on their way to winning their second ESL Grand Slam title at IEM Rio 2026, which is why ESL are taking matters into their own hands.
ESL Places $100,000 Bounty on Vitality’s Heads
The ESL Grand Slam is an additional series that rewards teams for winning four ESL events in the span of 10 consecutive events. One of these tournament wins must be a Championship event – which is either IEM Krakow or IEM Cologne.
Any team that accomplishes this feat will be rewarded with the title, alongside a nice bonus of $1 million. So far, six teams have won the ESL Grand Slam, with Team Vitality winning the most recent one in 2025.
Team Vitality are on the road to their second, as they have already won IEM Dallas 2025, ESL Pro League S22, and most recently, IEM Krakow 2026, which acts as the “Championship” event required. Now, apEX and the crew only need one more victory to claim the title, with four chances to spare. That’s exactly why Team Vitality are currently competing in IEM Rio 2026, which would get them over the finish line.
Image via Pawel Bastrzyk for ESL FACEIT Group
To save themselves a million dollars, ESL has implemented the “Giant Killer Bonus” clause. Teams who defeat Grand Slam hopefuls and deny them the title will be awarded $100,000 as compensation.
This means any team that defeats Team Vitality in the grand final of IEM Rio 2026 will claim that bonus. This bounty reward only comes into play if Team Vitality actually make it to the final. And with how they’ve been playing lately, it feels almost certain they’ll make it there.
Who Can Beat Team Vitality?
Team Vitality are undoubtedly the current best CS2 team in the world, and as we’ve seen in previous tournaments, beating them is far from an easy task. Teams who want to claim that extra $100,000 will have to work extra hard for it. So, who realistically has the best chance to take the giants down?
Team Falcons
The final candidate is Team Falcons. The Saudi-backed squad has the firepower to go toe-to-toe against Vitality’s star players. However, with roster changes looming, the team’s motivation might not be as high.
Still, if the best CS2 players on the team are having a good day, they could topple Team Vitality through headshots alone.
Image via Adela Sznajder for ESL FACEIT Group
Natus Vincere
Our number one candidate to pull off the impossible is NaVi. Aleksib and the boys have looked like the second-best team in the world and are in top form. They’ve already faced Team Vitality in the grand final of BLAST Open Rotterdam, where they were blown out 0-3.
However, two of the maps were relatively close. If they can solve their issues or have some individuals pop off on the day, NAVI has a great chance to get the job done.
FURIA
Another team that has a shot is FURIA. The Brazilian squad will receive a hefty buff, as they’re playing in front of their home crowd. And if we know anything about Brazilian fans, it’s that they’re going to scream at the top of their lungs.
Unfortunately, FURIA haven’t been playing their best Counter-Strike in recent months. However, if there’s a time to turn the ship around, it’s right now.
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. When he’s not writing, he’s most probably betting on esports and watching the latest events.
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