The LANXESS Arena, affectionately known as the Cathedral of Counter-Strike, will host 2026’s first CS2 Major Championship, the IEM Cologne Major 2026.
At IEM Cologne 2025, as Team Spirit demolished MOUZ in the Grand Final, ESL sent chills down the spines of Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports with the announcement.
The tournament is set to be the first Major Championship of 2026, marking the return of a Major to Cologne after a decade-long absence.
The IEM Cologne Major 2026 will be Counter-Strike’s 24th Major Championship, running from June 2 to 21.
Holy Plays Immortalized in Cologne
ESL One Cologne hosted three unforgettable CS:GO Majors in 2014, 2015, and 2016 — each one packed with roaring crowds, inspiring graffiti-worthy plays immortalized on maps we all know and love.
Olofmeister’s Molotov Miracle
In the Semifinal match between Fnatic and Team Dignitas at ESL One: Cologne 2014, the legendary Olof “olofmeister” Gustafsson produced a moment no one could ever forget.
On the CT side in the 29th round of play on Overpass, olofmeister defused the bomb on the B Site, standing inside the flames of dev1ce‘s Molotov with a few milliseconds left, dying in the process but winning the round.
Valve added a permanent graffiti near Hut, featuring a CT with wings standing in flames and a pair of pliers, to signify this iconic moment.
Olofmeister’s Famous Defuse Image: ESL
No-Scopes Made s1mple
At ESL One: Cologne 2016, in the 14th round of the Semifinal match between Team Liquid and Fnatic, a young Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev pulled off an incredible 2v1 on the B Site of Cache for Team Liquid.
s1mple no-scoped Dennis with his AWP as he dropped down from Heaven, and no-scoped KRIMZ moments later to win the round.
While Team Liquid lost 2-0 to SK Gaming in the Grand Final, s1mple’s no-scope is forever immortalized as Valve added a graffiti under Heaven, showing a CT with wings, AWP in hand.
IEM Cologne Major 2026 will undoubtedly produce more earth-shattering moments, with 32 teams competing for glory to lift the biggest trophy in Counter-Strike history.
Marc Winther, Director Game Ecosystems – Counter-Strike at ESL FACEIT Group, said in the announcement:
“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. 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 most pro players, the dream is to win a Major Championship, IEM Cologne, and IEM Katowice.
With Cologne as a Major Championship in 2026, winning the tournament will instantly propel a team into CS folklore.
Only NAVI, FaZe, Fnatic, Vitality, and Spirit have managed the feat of winning all three thus far.
IEM Cologne Major 2026 – Event Overview:
- Start date: June 2, 2026
- End date: June 21, 2026
- Prize pool: $1,250,000
- Playoffs venue: LANXESS Arena
- No. of stages: 4
- Teams: 32 (VRS update in April 2026)
From June 2 to 21, the Cathedral of Counter-Strike opens its doors once again, ready to deliver another chapter of pure, unfiltered CS greatness.