IEM Cologne 2026 to be a Major

Tournament operator ESL will host the first CS2 Major of 2026 — IEM Cologne 2026. he announcement came shortly after the conclusion of the IEM Cologne 2025 grand final, where Team Spirit defeated Mouz 3:0 to claim the trophy.

The event is scheduled to take place from June 8 to June 21, 2026, and will feature 32 teams from around the world competing for a total prize pool of $1,250,000. While the full format and venue details for all stages have not yet been revealed, ESL has confirmed that the playoffs will be held from June 18 to June 21 at the iconic LANXESS Arena in Cologne, Germany — widely known as the Cathedral of Counter-Strike.

According to the official schedule, two quarterfinals will be played on Thursday, June 18, followed by two more on Friday, June 19. The semifinals will take place on Saturday, June 20, and the grand final will be held on Sunday, June 21.

The second CS2 Major of 2025 will be the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, scheduled to take place from November 24 to December 14. The championship will be held in Budapest, Romania. The matches will be played across two venues — MTK Sportpark (for the first three stages) and MVM Dome (for the playoffs). The prize pool of the tournament will be $1.25 million.