The IEM Cologne 2026 Major marks the fifth major in Counter-Strike 2, and the 24th Valve-Sponsored Major across the franchise. 32 of the world’s best teams will once again compete for glory, a $1,250,000 prize pool, and the right to call themselves Counter-Strike 2 Major Champions.
The tournament also represents a return of CS Majors to Cologne for the first time since 2016 when FalleN’s SK Gaming roster won their second major of the year. Here’s everything you need to know about the IEM Cologne 2026 Major, including venue, schedule, format, and more.
Related—IEM Cologne 2026 Major Pick’Ems: Last Minute Diamond Coin Guide
IEM Cologne 2026 Major venues & important dates
While the LANXESS Arena will host the playoffs for IEM Cologne as always, the group stage will be held at The Palladium, Cologne. The first two stages will play out without any crowd attendance, with 500-strong contingent watching the action in Stage 3. The playoffs will also see an expanded capacity, with 15,000+ seats being opened in the arena through an optimized setup.
Venues
The Palladium (Stages 1-3)
- Location: Schanzenstraße 40, 51063 Köln, Germany
- Hosts: Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3
- Dates: Jun. 2 to 5., Jun. 6 to 9, Jun. 11 to 15, 2026
LANXESS Arena (Playoffs)
- Location: Willy-Brandt-Platz 3, 50679 Köln, Germany
- Hosts: Playoffs
- Dates: Jun. 18 – 21, 2026
Event Timeline
- Stage 1: Jun. 2 to 5, 2026
- Stage 2: Jun. 6 to 9, 2026
- Stage 3: Jun. 11 to 15, 2026
- Playoffs: Jun. 18 to 21, 2026
The tournament spans a total of 21 days, with a three-day break between Stage 3 and Playoffs, to allow teams to prepare for the quarterfinals.
IEM Cologne 2026 Major schedule & match results
Since the expansion of the Majors to include 32-teams, the tournament is split into three stages of competition. 16 teams enter each stage, with 8 making it into the following stage. Here’s the schedule for Stage 1 of the IEM Cologne 2026 Major.
Related—IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage 1 Preview: Who will go 3-0?
IEM Cologne 2026 Stage 1 match schedule & results
Tuesday, Jun. 2, 2026
Swiss Round 1 Matches (BO1)
- M80 vs. Lynn Vision (12:30 CEST)
- SINNERS vs. FlyQuest (12:30 CEST)
- B8 vs. TYLOO (13:30 CEST)
- MIBR vs. TDU (13:30 CEST)
- GamerLegion vs. NRG (14:30 CEST)
- HEROIC vs. Sharks (14:30 CEST)
- BetBoom vs. Gaimin Gladiators (15:30 CEST)
- BIG vs. Liquid (15:30 CEST)
We will update the schedule and results as the tournament progresses.
IEM Cologne 2026 Major format explained
The event will kick off with two stages featuring a combination of best-of-one and best-of-three matches. But unlike previous majors, Stage 3 at IEM Cologne 2026 will feature only best-of-three matches, giving teams a better chance at demonstrating their true level across multiple maps.
The top eight teams from each stage qualify for the next one, with the top 8 of Stage 3 making up the playoffs teams. The playoffs will feature a single-elimination bracket with best-of-three quarter and semi finals. The event will then conclude with a full best-of-five series between the two finalists to crown the champion.
| Stage 3 | Stage 2 | Stage 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Vitality Falcons NAVI MOUZ The MongolZ Aurora FURIA PARIVISION |
Spirit Legacy Astralis FUT G2 9z paiN Monte |
GamerLegion B8 BetBoom MIBR M80 HEROIC Liquid TYLOO Lynn Vision SINNERS NRG BIG Sharks FlyQuest Gaimin Gladiators THUNDERdOWNUNDER |
IEM Cologne Major 2026 prize pool
| Placement | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $500,000 |
| 2nd | $170,000 |
| 3rd-4th | $80,000 |
| 5th-8th | $45,000 |
| 9th-16th | $20,000 |
| 17th-24th | $10,000 |
| 25th-32nd | – |
Where to watch IEM Cologne 2026 Major
You can watch all the matches live on ESL’s official Twitch and YouTube channels:
