After a brief pause following the BLAST.tv Austin Major, the Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports scene is about to pick up again with IEM Cologne 2025. This event is a key moment for teams to assess their international standing as the season progresses. Sixteen teams will compete in the Play-Ins, fighting to secure a spot in the prestigious Group Stage.
A Team Liquid Turning Point?
Team Liquid has had a bumpy start to 2025. They haven’t cracked higher than sixth place in the tournaments they’ve joined. Some hope Cologne might be the moment this year’s campaign finally clicks for them.
The team tried out Kamil ‘Siuhy’ Szkaradek as their new in-game leader. That change started off shaky with Liquid missing out on qualifying for ESL Pro League Season 22 after losing to Sashi Esport. Their opening match at Cologne will be against PaiN Gaming, who are coming off a strong performance at the Austin Major Playoffs. This could be a tough battle, but a win would open the door toward advancing further. If successful, Liquid might face BIG or FaZe Clan next.
TYLOO’s Impressive International Journey
TYLOO from China has been demonstrating to the world that the region can compete with top teams from Europe and the Americas. They recently won FISSURE Playground 1, even using their coach as a stand-in until their star player Ji ‘Jee’ Dongkai returned for the semi-finals.
Player Yi ‘JamYoung’ Yang stood out enough to earn MVP honors and TYLOO heads into Cologne with good momentum. Their opening match will be against Virtus.pro. A strong run here could push them further up the Valve Regional Standings, improving their chances of qualifying for the Budapest Major.
FaZe Clan To Find Form?
FaZe Clan has had ups and downs in 2025. A third-place finish at PGL Bucharest hinted things were improving. They brought in Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyljev on loan for IEM Dallas and the Austin Major, with some success, reaching the Playoffs. Still, they fell short of making a deep run after losing to The MongolZ.
Now, with Helvijs ‘broky’ Saukants back in the starting lineup for Cologne, FaZe might have a chance to build some consistency. Their first opponent will be BIG, a tough challenge but one that could boost their confidence if they manage a win.
Which Teams Will Qualify For IEM Cologne 2025 Group Stage?
Teams from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania will clash for one of eight Group Stage spots. Some squads like FaZe Clan and FURIA have the experience to advance, while rising teams like TYLOO and Astralis also have good chances. But if we’re to guess, these are the teams that are probably going to advance forward.
- FaZe Clan
- PaiN Gaming
- TYLOO
- FURIA
- Astralis
- HEROIC
- B8
- Team Liquid
How To Watch IEM Cologne 2025
Fans can watch the Play-Ins live on the ESL Twitch and YouTube channels.
Will Team Liquid finally find their rhythm? Can TYLOO keep surprising everyone? I guess we’ll find out soon!
