The Major Returns to Cologne | IEM Cologne 2026 Overview

We're approaching the end of the first season of 2026, and it's time for the biggest event of the season: the Major, which is finally returning to the beautiful city of Cologne after 10 amazing years.

The exact same city that hosted three legendary early CS:GO Majors back in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

We saw SK Gaming lock down their era with back-to-back Major titles and Marcelo "coldzera" David taking both MVPs.

We saw Team Liquid make history as the first North American team to ever reach a Major Grand Final. And, of course, that same year, a young s1mple gave us one of the most famous plays in CS history with his iconic falling double no-scope on Cache.

Throw in Olofmeister’s "hot defuse" on Overpass from the 2014 edition, and it’s clear: when the Major comes to Cologne, magic happens. So, let's see what awaits us in the upcoming IEM Cologne Major 2026.

Dates, Format, and Attending Teams

The Major will take place from June 2 to June 21, and will include 32 different teams. The slots are divided as follows:

Europe: 17 slots
Americas: 10 slots
Asia: 5 slots

The team list for this one is absolutely amazing, and features these teams:

Stage 1

GamerLegion
B8
HEROIC
M80
BetBoom
TYLOO
Liquid
MIBR
NRG
BIG
SINNERS
Gaimin Gladiators
Lynn Vision
Sharks
FlyQuest
THUNDER dOWNUNDER

Stage 2

Spirit
Astralis
FUT
G2
9z
Legacy
Monte
paiN

Stage 3

Vitality
Natus Vincere
FURIA
Falcons
Aurora
PARIVISION
The MongolZ
MOUZ

The Major will consist of three stages and the playoffs. For Stage 1 and 2, the format will be Swiss Bo1 matches, with progression and elimination matches being Bo3.

The opening matches look like this:

Opening matches for CS2 tournament IEM Cologne 2026.

For Stage 3, all matches will feature a Bo3 format, and the 8 strongest teams will make it to the playoffs.

The playoffs will be as usual: single elimination Bo3 matches and a Bo5 Grand Final.

One important fact about this Major is Vitality's run. At this moment, only one team managed to win three consecutive Majors in a row, and that team was the Astralis (with the FACEIT Major: London 2018, IEM Katowice 2019, StarLadder Berlin Major 2019).

So if Vitality manages to win this one, they will tie that record and cement their legacy in CS history as one of the greatest teams of all time.

Major Shop, Major Pass, and Pick'Ems

On May 22, Valve released the Major update and added the Major Shop, the Major Pass, and the Pick'Ems.

However, this time, everything has changed.

The sticker capsules and souvenir packages are gone, and have been replaced with a shop where you can buy the sticker you want. Valve also added a dynamic pricing system, which changes the sticker prices based on demand.

CS2 Major Shop for IEM Cologne Major 2026.

As for the souvenir packages, Valve added a new feature, where you can put any normal skin and make it a souvenir.

You just have to choose a finished match and one player, and the skin of your choice will become a souvenir. Fans are thrilled for that, as skins like M4A4 | Howl might possibly be available as souvenirs.

Best Contenders

With 32 of the world's best teams entering the gauntlet, the battle for the trophy is going to be an absolute bloodbath.

However, a few heavyweights stand head and shoulders as fan favorites, carrying massive momentum (and the highest expectations of the season) into Cologne. Here are the top teams looking to take the crown:

Vitality

Vitality have shown again and again that they are dominating the current CS scene. And this is the ultimate moment to show their greatness. They are only one Major away from tying with Astralis's record of 3 Majors in a row, and they have all the strength to do that.

Team Spirit

While the start of the season was rough for Team Spirit, they seem to have found the right balance and the firepower to destroy any team. With their latest win at PGL Astana 2026 with a clean 3:0 Grand Final, Spirit seem to be undefeatable.

NAVI

Natus Vincere – "Born to Win" are the ones that ended Vitality's tournament win streak. Their devotion to the game and their persistence led them to a victory in IEM Atlanta 2026. Looks like Vitality's gonna have some real trouble this time.

Conclusion

Counter-Strike's competitive scene is the most packed it could have been, and no one can guess the winner. What we can say is that we are going to witness one of the best Majors in CS history.

On any step of the tournament, stay tuned not to miss out on any news, updates, or interesting facts about the CS scene. See you at the Major!