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- What: Roman Imperium Cup V
- Date: Thursday, Feb 19th-22nd, 2026
- Location: SAW Esports Arena, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
- How to Watch: Twitch
The Roman Imperium Cup V is set to take place at the SAW Esports Arena in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, from February 19th to 22nd. The KKM has organized the event and put up the €10,000 prize pool.
16 teams have been split into four double-elimination groups to determine the best Counter-Strike 2 team. The top two finishers from each group will advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket.
The popular team, 100 Thieves, will debut its new lineup. They are unranked and have been put into a challenging group alongside Ninjas in Pyjamas, Fnatic, and Passion UA. EYEBALLERS will be in attendance, fresh off their win over FaZe Clan from BLAST Bounty Season 1.
Several Tier 2 organizations, including Gentle Mates, Monte, and Bestia, have experienced rosters and are seeking deep tournament runs.
Which team captures the VRS points and seizes the qualification for Counter-Strike’s Majors?
ROMAN IMPERIUM CUP V is here!
📆 February 19–22
📍 SAW Arena@ALGO_esports @gentlemates @PassionuaGG @sawggofficial @famaesports @BetBoomTeam @EYEBALLERS @BetclicApogee #Oramond@Monte_Esports @HOTUeSports @bestia_corp @100T_CS @RebelsGamingCS2 @NIP @FNATICThe… pic.twitter.com/8bOOiM2x0R
— ROMAN Imperium Cup (@rmnimperiumcup) February 4, 2026
Before we dive into the betting picks for the Roman Imperium Cup V, check out our guide to the best esports betting sites and the best sports betting apps and mobile options.
Roman Imperium Cup V Winner Odds
| Winner |  |  |  |
| Hotu | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Betboom Team | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Gentle Mates | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Passion Ua | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Ninjas In Pyjamas | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Fnatic | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Monte | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| 100 Thieves | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Eyeballers | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Bestia | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Apogee Esports | +2400 | +2400 | +2400 |
| Oramond | +2400 | +2400 | +2400 |
| Rebels Gaming | +6400 | +6400 | +6400 |
| Algo | +6400 | +6400 | +6400 |
| Fc Famalicão Esports | +9900 | +9900 | +9900 |
| Saw | +14900 | +14900 | +14900 |
Hotu
Hotu enters the tournament as the favorite. The Russian organization fields a roster that includes a blend of Russian and Kazakhstani players. The team features n0rb3r7, dukefissura,kAlash, mizue, and frontales as key players. They are on the rise, following a 12th-place finish at PGL Astana 2025.
Hey there, @gentlemates congrats on the win! But can you do a backflip? 😎
yeah me neither. pic.twitter.com/zd8oiOXOFS
— HOTU (@HOTUeSports) February 16, 2026
That being said, last week they lost a heartbreaking match to Gentle Mates in the grand final of IstanbuLAN 2026. However, that runner-up finish showed how dangerous they are as a team.
Although Hotu is favored in this tournament, I would not back them at +400 odds. I believe there’s more value in another team.
Gentle Mates
Can Gentle Mates continue their winning ways? The Spanish squad, led by IGL alex, claimed the IstanbuLAN 2026 title last week. The win moved them from 28th to 18th in the global standings after the win.
Gentle Mates has shown a level of cohesion and consistency heading into this tournament. Prior to winning in Istanbul, they put together an eight-match winning streak. They have a favorable draw against Famalicão, which should allow them to carry this winning momentum deep in the tournament.
CE N’EST PAS UN RÊVE, ON L’A FAIT ! #M8WIN pic.twitter.com/HluqikD0S0
— Gentle Mates (@gentlemates) February 14, 2026
This team is proven and seems to be firing on all cylinders. They are the dark horse I’m backing to win this tournament.
Ninjas in Pyjamas
Ninjas in Pyjamas is seeking their second Roman Imperium Cup victory after winning the third Roman Imperium Cup in late December 2025. They were dominant, sweeping through both Gentle Mates and SAW in the playoffs.
NiP lineup freatures Snappi, sjuush, r1nkle, xKacpersky and cairne. It’s a roster that blends veteran leadership with dynamic playmaking. Their most recent standout result was a second-place finish at the StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025. They have the pedigree and experience to go deep in high-stakes tournaments.
PLAY OF THE YEAR 🔥🔥🔥 @FntzyZilla pic.twitter.com/kKAK2BbyIv
— Ninjas In Pyjamas 🇧🇷 (@NIPBR) February 5, 2026
The event has placed NiP into a group including 100 Thieves, BESTIA and Monte. They will need Snappi calling clicks and r1nkle to find his rhythm on the AWP for them to have any chance. I would pass on NiP as well at this event.
100 Thieves
This team enters the tournament with a ton of intrigue. The roster is a mix of veterans and upstarts. This combination of players like poii, Agl1 and sirah are all expected to mesh under the leadership of coach gla1ve.
This will be quite the challenge as the team is inexperienced and needs time to find their footing. They were eliminated in the fourth round of the IEM Atlanta open qualifier falling to MOUZ NXT.
Surely this is a good sign pic.twitter.com/axzLpkrSoC
— 100 Thieves (@100Thieves) February 7, 2026
I think this team has the name recognition but they don’t have the performances to back it up yet. A deep run at this tournament would be nice, but it appears the focus is on the long term development of this team.
That makes more sense considering their odds of +900 to win this tournament. This would have to be another team I would pass on because I don’t believe they are trying to win it.
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