ESL has announced that Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne 2026 will host a Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Major.
The IEM Cologne Major 2026 event will act as the first CS2 Major of the 2026 season.
Announced following the IEM Cologne 2025 Grand Final, the esports tournament organiser revealed a Major would be returning to the Lanxess Arena for the first time since 2016, where SK Gaming emerged victorious.
Taking place from June 2nd to 21st, 2026, the top 32 teams from the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) will compete for a share of a $1.25m (~£941,527) prize pool and a chance to be etched into Counter-Strike’s rich esports history.
“IEM Cologne has established itself as a cornerstone of competitive Counter-Strike, with each edition featuring the best teams, unmatched energy, and the best crowd,” said Marc Winther, Director Game Ecosystems – Counter-Strike at ESL FACEIT Group.
“Bringing the Major back to Cologne after a decade is a celebration of everything IEM Cologne stands for. With an extra day of live competition and more ways to connect with the fans, we look forward to making it unforgettable for the Counter-Strike community.”
For ESL, the IEM Cologne Major 2026 event will be the tournament organiser’s 11th Counter-Strike Major, having hosted three Majors between 2014 and 2016. The last time it hosted a Major was the IEM Rio Major in 2022.
IEM Cologne Major 2026 Details
ESL has stated that further details surrounding the Cologne Major will appear at a later date, with fans already looking to acquire tickets for the event.
The format of the event will be the same as the StarLadder Budapest Major, with the top 32 teams competing over three stages and the Playoffs.
So far, the organiser has revealed that the Playoffs are the only stage of the tournament that will feature a live audience. It remains unclear if the other stages will have fans in attendance.
