Stake Ranked Field Takes Shape as StarLadder Locks In the 2026 Roadmap

StarLadder has locked in the full 2026 Stake Ranked schedule, and Episode 2 already has most of its LAN spots filled through the Valve rankings. The picture is getting clear fast, with invited teams set and qualifiers still deciding the last seats. Check the field, the qualifier road, and the remaining dates now.

Six invited teams already set for the next LAN stop

Episode 1 gave Stake Ranked a strong start. G2 won the Barcelona event on April 4, beating BetBoom 2-1 in the final. After dropping Anubis 10-13, G2 bounced back with a 13-11 win on Ancient and finished the job 13-9 on Dust2. They made the whole run without losing a series, and Matúš Šimko “MATYS” led the grand final with a 54-43 K-D and a 1.30 rating. That kind of finish made the event feel like a real stop on the 2026 CS2 calendar, not just filler between bigger tournaments.

Now the focus moves to Episode 2, set for May 27-30 in the Schengen region. The event will again feature eight teams and a $100,000 prize pool. Six direct invites are already locked in through the Global VRS.

Qualifiers will decide the final two places

The fight for the last two LAN spots in Episode 2 is tight, and there is no easy path through it. StarLadder kept the format simple and brutal, which makes every match matter.

Here is how the qualifier road works:

• The open qualifier took place on April 21 and 22 on FACEIT.
• Two teams advanced from that stage.
• Those two teams moved into a 16-team closed qualifier running from April 29 to May 3.
• Fourteen more teams joined there through VRS invites.
• Every closed qualifier match is single-elimination and best-of-three.
• Only two teams survive and make it to the LAN finals.
• The LAN stage then switches to a double-elimination best-of-three bracket.

For up-and-coming rosters, this is the kind of run that can change how people see them. Stake Ranked is clearly built to give rising teams a real chance to break through, and this format makes sure nobody gets a free pass.

The remaining 2026 event dates after Episode 2

The rest of the year is now set, and the spacing leaves little room for teams to drift. There is a midsummer stop, then a packed autumn stretch that should keep the VRS race moving almost nonstop.

Qualification dates for Episodes 3 through 6 are still to be announced, but the big picture is already clear. Stake Ranked has committed to a steady 2026 rhythm with five more LAN stops after G2’s first title run, and every team hovering near the cut line now has a fixed set of targets. In Counter-Strike terms, the field is taking shape, the calendar is locked, and the pressure starts well before the server goes live in late May.