IEM Cologne 2026 Quarter-Finals Game Previews

The IEM Cologne 2026 major is down to the final eight. We’ll have four best-of-three quarter-finals decide the semifinal spots, two on Thursday and two on Friday.

It’s a little disappointing to see powerhouses like Vitality, Spirit and Falcons all on one side of the bracket, but oh well. The games should still be incredibly fun to watch.

THE GAMES

Let's break down the matchups!

Aurora vs BetBoom, Thursday 9:45 AM ET

This could be closer than people expect. BetBoom have a lot of skill and upside, but can they handle the added pressure?

Pick: Aurora > BetBoom 2-1
Top Projection: XANTARES
Top Leverage: Magnojez

FURIA vs 9z, Thursday 1:00 PM ET

What a run for 9z at the major. FURIA have a dynamic duo in molodoy and KSCERATO and bring a lot more experience to the table.

Pick: FURIA > 9z 2-0 (close)
Top Projection: molodoy
Top Leverage: luchov

Spirit vs G2, Friday 9:45 AM ET

G2 have one of the most balanced lineups in CS, but they have to contend with donk on Friday. Spirit should be able to get to the finish line.

Pick: Spirit > G2 2-0
Top Projection: donk
Top Leverage: HeavyGod

Vitality vs Falcons, Friday 1:00 PM ET

Calling the upset! Obviously a very tough thing to do given how dominant Vitality have been, but Falcons are one of the few teams with the firepower to compete.

Pick: Falcons > Vitality 2-1
Top Projection: ZywOo
Top Leverage: m0NESY

Win probabilities are approximate and subject to change. Always check current numbers before locking decisions.

For player-level ratings check CARNAGE before games start. For game-level fair values see MARKET. We also have RANGE, which shows outcome distributions on a player and team level and COMMS, our daily notes feed.

Good luck!