The IEM Cologne playoffs are officially set, and it’s preparing up to be an intense showdown at the LANXESS Arena. Six teams made it through the group stages, including the top four teams in the world. This bracket stage will decide who gets closer to the coveted trophy.
Vitality is on a tear, having extended their winning streak to an insane 37 matches in a row. They nailed a perfect group stage and snagged a direct spot in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Spirit is making waves in their first IEM Cologne appearance, securing a bye on the opposite side of the bracket after finally beating MOUZ for the first time this year, with Ivan “zweih” Gogin shining in the lineup.
Natus Vincere enters the arena fresh off a solid win against FaZe. They’ll face The MongolZ in the quarter-finals, with the winner going up against Spirit. On the other side, Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo returns to the LANXESS Arena for the first time since his Major win in 2017, leading FURIA against MOUZ. This matchup is the first since March’s ESL Pro League Season 21 and the first since FURIA’s roster went international with additions like Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis and Danil “molodoy” Golubenko. The winner will face Vitality in the best-of-five final.
So, what’s the schedule?
| Date | Matches |
|---|---|
| 01/08/2025 – 15:45 | MOUZ vs FURIA |
| 01/08/2025 – 19:00 | The MongolZ vs Natus Vincere |
| 02/08/2025 – 15:45 | Vitality vs MOUZ/FURIA winner |
| 02/08/2025 – 19:00 | Spirit vs The MongolZ/Natus Vincere winner |
| 03/08/2025 – 17:00 | IEM Cologne 2025 – Grand Final |
Wow, it’s kinda wild how Vitality keeps crushing it. Can anyone stop their streak? And Spirit’s run? Pretty impressive, right? I’m curious to see if FalleN’s return to LANXESS will spark FURIA to upset MOUZ and then Vitality. Yikes, that’s a tough path.
What do you think about this playoff bracket? Will Vitality’s streak continue, or will Spirit or NaVi shake things up?
