ESL & Kick Partner for CS2, Dota 2 EPT Streams & ECL Exclusive

The Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2026 got underway on April 13, and we're already almost all the way through the Group Stage. For fans who love to catch the action on livestreaming platforms, the organizers recently announced that they can do so on one of the leading services for esports broadcasting.

Will ESL events, like IEM Rio 2026, be streamed on Kick?

The short answer is yes. The popular event organizer entered into a new partnership with Kick, meaning that every minute of action from the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) across Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 will be broadcast live on one of the fastest-growing livestreaming platforms around.

The ongoing IEM Rio is one of the first events coming under the new partnership The ongoing IEM Rio is one of the first events coming under the new partnership (Image via
Intel Extreme Masters on X)

Coming to the top-tier Brazil CS2 tournament, all its matches are being live broadcast here, as 16 of the world's best teams battle it out for $1 million. The IEM Rio 2026 will also serve as a decisive moment in the race for the ESL Grand Slam VI and an additional $1 million, with Team Vitality being one victory away from becoming the first team in history to win two ESL Grand Slam titles consecutively.

Those interested in tracking the performances of events across esports titles and platforms can check out our Events Dashboard. This subscription gives users access to viewership charts, languages & platforms breakdown and much more.

ESL also revealed that future IEM & EPT competitions will also be broadcast in English on the Kick channel mentioned above. At the same time, livestreams of these matches will still be available on other distribution platforms.

Is there any exclusive content as part of the EPT x Kick partnership?

Yes. Kick will become the exclusive home of the ESL Challenger League (ECL). These events are where rising teams prove they belong, and challengers are given the chance to become champions & secure an invite to the upcoming season of the ESL Pro League.

For anyone who enjoys watching Counter-Strike played by teams with something to prove, the official Kick channel is where they'll find every match moving forward.

The first two matchdays of the IEM Rio 2026 have concluded, with top names like Team Vitality, Team Falcons, FURIA and MOUZ through to the Playoffs. Fasn can catch the live action, check the event schedule and get viewership statistics on the Esports Charts tournaments page.

FAQs

What is the new partnership between ESL and Kick?

ESL has partnered with Kick to broadcast all ESL Pro Tour (EPT) events for Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 live, and Kick will be the exclusive home for the ESL Challenger League.