Team Vitality cited players’ parental leave as the reason for withdrawing from IEM Beijing 2026

Skipping an IEM tournament, especially in a new city, is not an easy decision for us. However, our top priority is to ensure our players have the support they need so they can spend quality time with their families during this unique moment in their lives. Due to apEX and mezii’s parental leave, we’ve had to adjust our competitive schedule.

Majors remain our key goal on the professional scene. We’ll do everything we can to win our fourth title and lift the trophy in Singapore. Instead of traveling to Beijing with a replacement captain—which would have severely limited our practice time—we chose to attend tournaments where we can compete with our full roster. This will allow us to make the most of the short preparation window to earn important VRS points ahead of the Major.

A message to our Chinese fans: your passion for CS and support for our players are incredible. Tournaments in China have always given us a special opportunity to get closer to you, and we understand that you’re disappointed by this news. Over the past few months, we’ve been working hard to create content, merchandise, and interactive experiences specifically for fans in China. Even though we won’t be physically in Beijing, we’ll do everything we can to bring you a digital experience that only Vitality can provide. Stay tuned for updates!

Thank you to all our fans for your support and understanding. See you on the server.