IEM Cologne Major 2026: 32 Teams, $1.25M Prize Pool, Starts June 2
On June 2, 2026, the largest Counter-Strike 2 competition of the season begins in Cologne, Germany — IEM Cologne Major 2026. For the first time in Major history, all Stage 3 matches will be played as Best-of-3, and the grand final will be Best-of-5.
For the first time in Major history, all Stage 3 matches will be played as Best-of-3
Tournament Overview
IEM Cologne Major 2026 runs from June 2–21 in Cologne, Germany. Organized by ESL Gaming, matches take place at Palladium (Stages 1–3) and the legendary LANXESS Arena (Playoffs). The prize pool is $1,250,000, with the champion taking home $500,000.
Format
The tournament consists of three Swiss stages followed by playoffs:
- Stage 1 (June 2–5): 16 teams, Swiss format, Bo1/Bo3
- Stage 2 (June 6–9): 16 teams, Swiss format, Bo1/Bo3
- Stage 3 (June 11–15): 16 teams — all matches Bo3 for the first time in Major history
- Playoffs (June 18–21): 8 teams at LANXESS Arena, Grand Final Bo5
All 32 Teams
Stage 3 Seeds (8 teams): Team Vitality, Natus Vincere, Team Falcons, The MongolZ, PARIVISION, Aurora Gaming, FURIA, MOUZ.
Stage 2 Seeds (8 teams): FUT Esports, Team Spirit, Astralis, G2 Esports, Legacy, paiN Gaming, Monte, 9z Team.
Stage 1 entries (16 teams): GamerLegion, B8, HEROIC, BetBoom Team, BIG, M80, MIBR, SINNERS Esports, NRG, TYLOO, Sharks Esports, Gaimin Gladiators, Team Liquid, Lynn Vision Gaming, THUNDERdOWNUNDER, FlyQuest.
Betting Favorites
According to Polymarket and analytics platforms at tournament start:
- Team Vitality — 45% (dominant in 2026)
- Team Spirit — 17% (PGL Astana 2026 champions)
- Natus Vincere — 11%
- Team Falcons — 10%
How to Watch
Broadcasts are available on ESL Counter-Strike's official channels on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Kick.