Team Spirit Lose $420,000 ACI Share After Skipping IEM Atlanta

Team Spirit have lost their right to receive a share of the 2026 Annual Club Incentive program after exceeding the allowed number of ESL FACEIT Group tournament declines. ESL confirmed that the team will no longer be eligible for ACI payments in the current season and will not be able to re-enter the program until 2027.

After IEM Rio, Spirit were tied with FURIA for first place in the ACI ranking. According to preliminary projections, the Russian club could have received around $420,550. However, the team declined its invitation to IEM Atlanta and instead competed at PGL Astana, where they finished first and earned $512,000. That amount was split between the players and the organization.

The IEM Atlanta skip became Spirit’s third EFG tournament decline during the 2025–2026 period. The team had previously missed IEM Melbourne and IEM Dallas 2025. Under standard rules, clubs may decline up to three invitations over a two-year period, but no more than two tournaments in a single calendar year. However, if an EFG tournament is promoted to Major status, as happened with IEM Cologne 2026, the limit is reduced to two declines.

Despite Spirit’s exclusion from the 2026 ACI program, any further declines by the team this season will still count toward the 2027 program.

chopper Explains What Drives donk to Keep Playing CS2

After IEM Atlanta, Natus Vincere became the leader of the ACI ranking with a projected payout of $452,715. The top 10 also includes B8, FURIA, Vitality, G2, FaZe, MOUZ, Legacy, Astralis, Liquid, and Passion UA.