IEM Cologne 2026 moves into its playoff stage on June 18, and the Lanxess Arena is once again the center of the Counter-Strike world. FURIA and Team Spirit both closed Stage III with perfect 3-0 records, while Aurora, Falcons, and Vitality advanced at 3-1. 9z Team, BetBoom, and G2 Esports also booked their spots after 3-2 runs.
The quarterfinals begin on Thursday, June 18, with 9z Team vs. FURIA and Aurora vs. BetBoom. Friday, June 19 brings G2 Esports vs. Team Spirit and Falcons vs. Vitality. The semifinal round follows on Saturday, June 20, with the grand final on Sunday, June 21.
There is still time to buy team and player stickers, and half of tournament item sales will be split between the organizer, teams, and players. Pick’Em Challenge entries also have to be in before the first playoff match, and Vitality are still chasing a third straight Major. Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram.
Source: Steam
