The MongolZ decline IEM Rio main event invite

Intel Extreme Masters returns to Rio de Janeiro after skipping a year in 2025. Through a post on X, ESL has announced the invited teams for the event. The MongolZ were the only Asian team who were extended an invite but they declined it. FaZe also turned down their invite. s1mple will start in the global closed qualifier with BC.Game.

IEM Rio 2026 is packed between PGL Bucharest and FISSURE Playground 3 hinting that The MongolZ are eyeing one or both of these events. While Astralis and FlyQuest declined their invites to the global qualifier, paIN, NRG and M80 passed up on an Americas closed qualifier invite.

IEM Rio takes place between 13th and 19th April 2026. The main event hosts double-elimination brackets across two groups of eight teams, sending the top three from each group to a single-elimination bracket playoffs. The playoffs conclude with a best-of-five grand-final on 19th April 2026 before which a third place decider takes place.

Here are the final list of teams taking part in IEM Rio 2026: