When is IEM Cologne Major 2026?

IEM Cologne Major 2026 runs June 2 through June 21 at LANXESS Arena in Cologne, Germany.

Who is the favorite to win IEM Cologne Major 2026?

Polymarket has Team Vitality at 50%. Team Spirit second at 15%, NaVi at 9%, Falcons at 8%. See the full 32-team market on the Game of Skill CS2 futures page.

What is the IEM Cologne Major 2026 format?

Three Swiss stages followed by single-elimination playoffs. Top 8 from the Legends Stage advance to the bracket. Grand final is best of five.

Which CS2 teams are trending up heading into IEM Cologne Major 2026?

FUT and Team Spirit are the two teams trending up heading into IEM Cologne. PARIVISION and Aurora have been disappointing. Full editorial breakdown of players and teams to watch is published on the Game of Skill blog.

Where can I get IEM Cologne Major 2026 predictions and picks?

Game of Skill publishes free CS2 player ratings (CARNAGE), GOS fair value against prediction market prices (MARKET), and game shape with projected player ranges (RANGE) for every Cologne slate. Daily picks and analysis are published throughout the event on the blog and the Kalshi CS2 hub.

What pick'em platforms cover IEM Cologne Major 2026?

Kalshi covers tournament and game winner contracts in all 50 states. Betr Picks runs CS2 kill pick'em and is legal in California and Texas. Sleeper and Underdog also offer kill props on most CS2 slates.

CARNAGE is the Game of Skill CS2 player rating system. It scores every player in a slate on projected output, on a 0 to 99 scale. Ratings publish before each stage at gameofskill.gg/carnage.

IEM Cologne Major 2026

Predictions, picks, player ratings, and market reads for the first CS2 Major of 2026. 32 teams at LANXESS Arena over three weeks. We cover every slate.

GOS Tools for Cologne

CARNAGE Player Ratings

CS2 player upside ratings on a 0–99 scale, updated for every slate.

View → MARKET Edge Scorecard

GOS fair value versus the prediction market price for every game on the slate.

View → RANGE Game Shape & Ranges

Game shape and projected player ranges for each game on the slate.

View → COMMS Live Updates

Market reads, slate notes, and analysis published throughout the event.

View → BLOG Picks & Analysis

Daily picks, slate previews, and event takes throughout Cologne.

View →

Opening Stage Begins

June 2, 2026 · LANXESS Arena

--Days

--Hours

--Mins

--Secs

Featured Live Market

Will Vitality Win IEM Cologne?

Live from Polymarket

Will Vitality win IEM Cologne Major 2026?
Yes 50%
View full market and trade on Polymarket

Polymarket · Top 17 Ladder $6.8M Total Volume

Vitality

50%

Team Spirit

15%

Natus Vincere

Falcons

FURIA

MOUZ

The MongolZ

Legacy

FUT

PARIVISION

Aurora

Astralis

GamerLegion

BetBoom

paiN

15 more teams trading at under 1% See Full Market

Seedings

All 32 teams by entry point. The field narrows and the level rises stage to stage, Opening through Legends, then into the playoff bracket.

Opening

16 teams · Top 8 advance Swiss · BO1 / BO3

GamerLegion EU BetBoom EU HEROIC EU M80 AM Sharks AM MIBR AM TYLOO AS THUNDER dOWNUNDER AS BIG EU B8 EU SINNERS EU NRG AM Gaimin Gladiators AM Liquid AM Lynn Vision AS FlyQuest AS

Challengers

8 seeds + 8 from Opening · Top 8 advance Swiss · BO1 / BO3

Spirit EU G2 EU Monte EU paiN AM Astralis EU FUT EU 9z AM Legacy AM

Legends

8 seeds + 8 from Challengers · Top 8 to Playoffs Swiss · all BO3

Vitality EU PARIVISION EU Falcons EU FURIA AM Natus Vincere EU Aurora EU MOUZ EU The MongolZ AS

Opening → Challengers → Legends → Playoffs · Single-elim, BO5 final

Watchlist

Teams trending up and down ahead of Cologne.

▲ Trending Up FUT

Young and talented across the roster. Already has tier-one wins in 2026. Inexperience is the only real knock.

▲ Trending Up Spirit

Rough start with the new five, but donk and the core look sharp again. tN1R finding form is the key variable.

▼ Trending Down PARIVISION

Jame keeps them in every series, but recent performances are worrying. Rumors of lineup changes if certain players don't step up.

▼ Trending Down Aurora

XANTARES and Wicadia have the individual talent, but results have been poor. Not enough has come together against top teams.

Full breakdown: Players & teams to watch at Cologne Read post

Where to Play

The platforms we use and recommend for Cologne.

Prediction Markets

Kalshi

All 50 States CFTC Regulated Tournament + Game Winners

The only legal prediction market in all 50 US states. Tournament winner and per-game contracts open before June 2. Daily picks throughout Cologne on the Kalshi CS2 hub.

Trade · Code SKILL

CS2 Pick'Em

Betr Picks

Legal in CA & TX Kill Pick'em

Legal in California and Texas where Sleeper and PrizePicks are not. Kill pick'em on every Cologne slate. Code SKILL at sign-up.

Common Questions

Common questions about the event.

When does Cologne start?

June 2 through June 21. Opening Stage begins June 2, grand final June 21. LANXESS Arena in Cologne.

Who's the favorite?

Vitality at 50% on Polymarket. Spirit second at 15%, NaVi at 9%, Falcons at 8%. Full ladder above. See the CS2 futures page for the 32-team market.

What's the format?

Three Swiss stages (Opening, Challengers, Legends) into a single-elim bracket. Top 8 from Legends advance. BO5 grand final.

Who should I watch?

FUT and Spirit are trending up. PARIVISION and Aurora are trending down. Full breakdown of players and teams to watch at Cologne.

Where can I get IEM Cologne predictions and picks?

CARNAGE publishes player ratings for every slate. MARKET shows GOS fair value against the prediction market price for each game. RANGE shows the game shape and projected player ranges. Daily picks and analysis post throughout Cologne on the blog and the Kalshi CS2 hub.

Where do I play?

Kalshi for prediction markets (all 50 states, code SKILL). Betr Picks for kill pick'em in CA and TX (code SKILL). Sleeper for kill props in 30+ states.

What is CARNAGE?

Game of Skill's CS2 player rating system. Every player in a slate gets a 0–99 score based on form, matchup, and win probability. Ratings publish at gameofskill.gg/carnage before each stage.