CS2 and VALORANT return to i74 gaming festival.

Insomnia Gaming Festival has officially added Counter-Strike 2 and VALORANT to the competitive roster for its upcoming i74 edition, marking the first major esports reveal for the 2026 event. Each tournament will welcome sixteen teams fighting for a share of a £3,000 prize pool, with registration details and full rules expected to be announced soon.  

The festival has not yet confirmed if the CS2 competition will qualify for Valve Regional Standings, a system that awards ranking points to teams that compete in events following Valve’s operational guidelines. 

Both games have a strong history at Insomnia. Previous editions included multiple tournaments for the two shooters, including a women’s VALORANT event and larger £5,000 prize pools. Their return comes at a key moment for the festival, which relaunched in 2025 under new management after community concerns surrounding former ownership. Since then, Insomnia has rebuilt confidence through partnerships with Modern Wolf, Protec and High Viz Media. 

i74 will take place from April 30 to May 3, 2026 at the Staffordshire County Showground. The event promises a full gaming exhibition, a BYOC LAN zone and additional tournaments still to be revealed. Insomnia has also partnered with EPIC.LAN to strengthen network infrastructure for a smoother competitive experience.