IEM Cologne 2025 Day 1 tips & predictions – Wednesday, July 23

Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2025 kicks off on Wednesday, July 23, with the first eight games of the play-in stage, featuring 16 Counter-Strike 2 teams who will begin their chase for the lion’s share of the US$1 million prize pool. Here are our IEM Cologne betting picks for the opening day of play, with CS2 odds courtesy of the top esports bookmakers.

GAMERLEGION vs COMPLEXITY

Best Odds: GL -151.52 at SportsBetting.ag | COL +110 at BetOnline
When: July 23, 2025 | 10:30 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

GamerLegion enter IEM Cologne 2025 with Jeremy “Kursy” Gast as the newest member of the team. On the other side, Complexity will continue with Torbjørn “mithR” Nyborg as a stand-in coach after he helped the team place fifth-eighth at FISSURE Playground #1 earlier this month.

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  Fast Payouts

Kursy already featured for GamerLegion at FISSURE Playground #1, where they reached the quarterfinals with wins against Wildcard and SAW. Complexity managed the same placement with victories against BetBoom Team and BIG.

While GamerLegion have looked better throughout the season, Complexity performed just as well earlier this month. With little to separate the two teams quality-wise, Complexity to win at plus money is the more appealing pick.

TYLOO vs VIRTUS.PRO

Best Odds: TYLOO -138.89 at SportsBetting.ag | Virtus.pro +100 at BetOnline
When: July 23, 2025 | 10:30 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

This is a rematch from the opening match in FISSURE Playground #1 Group C, which ended in TYLOO’s favour with 13-9 on Inferno and 16-14 on Anubis. While it was not a very one-sided game, TYLOO had to play with their coach as a stand-in.

For IEM Cologne 2025, TYLOO will field their full roster — the same which defeated SAW and Astralis in the FISSURE Playground #1 semifinals and grand finals, respectively. Considering TYLOO managed to take down Virtus.pro without a key player, they should be in an excellent spot to recreate that success with Ji “Jee” Dongkai back in the arena.

ASTRALIS vs B8

Best Odds: Astralis -250 at BetOnline | B8 +175 at SportsBetting.ag
When: July 23, 2025 | 13:00 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

Astralis reached the finals of FISSURE Playground #1, which marked another step in their slow climb back to the top of the Counter-Strike 2 food chain.

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  The bookies' bookie

B8 have also shown some signs of life this year, with a runner-up finish at the CCT Season 2 Global Finals and a gold medal from ESL Challenger League Season 49 Europe. That said, they have not played a match since their early exit from BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 in June.

Astralis are the better team, and they are warmed up. While B8 can be resilient, a 2-0 sweep for the Danes is a likely outcome.

FLYQUEST vs FURIA

Best Odds: FLY +225 at BetOnline | FURIA -303.03 at BetOnline
When: July 23, 2025 | 13:00 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

FlyQuest bolstered their roster with Justin “jks” Savage at the start of the month but have yet to play with their new lineup. But even with the former G2 Esports and Team Liquid player, FlyQuest are not expected to do well on Wednesday.

Paying -303.03 on the best Counter-Strike 2 betting sites, FURIA are viewed as firm favourites to take down FlyQuest. The Brazilians did well to finish in fifth-eighth place at the Austin Major, but they were far less convincing when running 9th-12th at FISSURE Playground #1.

On paper, FURIA are the better team. However, at this number, FlyQuest are underestimated.

3DMAX vs MIBR

Best Odds: 3DMAX -188.68 at BetOnline | MIBR +137 at BetOnline
When: July 23, 2025 | 15:30 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

3DMAX and MIBR have both recently made roster changes. While the former team replaced their coaching staff, the latter added ex-academy player Nicollas “nicks” Polonio to the active lineup.

With nicks, MIBR finished FISSURE Playground #1 in 9th-12th place after two group-stage losses to Astralis, while 3DMAX managed to reach the quarterfinals in Serbia. The French squad did not need to beat any notable teams, however, and lost to Lynn Vision and TYLOO.

3DMAX should be favoured, but not by that much. MIBR can force a close game.

FAZE CLAN vs BIG

Best Odds: FaZe Clan -400 at SportsBetting.ag | BIG +275 at BetOnline
When: July 23, 2025 | 15:30 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

FaZe Clan are heavy favourites to take down BIG in their first match of IEM Cologne 2025, and it is hard to argue with that. Even though FaZe have not lived up to expectations this season, they have accomplished far more than BIG.

BIG, unlike FaZe Clan, have been active this month, yet their performance at FISSURE Playground #1 does not inspire much confidence. FaZe are rusty, but the quality gap is significant enough to take their side.

NINJAS IN PYJAMAS vs HEROIC

Best Odds: Ninjas in Pyjamas -120.48 at BetOnline | HEROIC -120.48 at BetOnline
When: July 23, 2025 | 18:00 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

Ninjas in Pyjamas acquired Kacper “xKacpersky” Gabara on a loan from ENCE earlier this month, but they have yet to roll out the new-look roster. While an improvement on paper, xKacpersky is unlikely to help NiP emerge as one of the top contenders in the IEM Cologne 2025 play-in stage.

HEROIC experienced a small resurgence in April and May, when they won the CCT Season 2 Global Finals and MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025. Their performances at IEM Dallas and BLAST.tv Austin Major were not as fruitful, as they finished in seventh-eighth and 17th-19th, respectively.

As the latest CS2 betting odds suggest, this is anyone’s game.

TEAM LIQUID vs PAIN GAMING

Best Odds: Liquid -138.89 at BetOnline | paiN +100 at BetOnline
When: July 23, 2025 | 18:00 CEST
Watch Live: Twitch

PaiN Gaming managed an impressive semifinal run at the Austin Major. But they looked toothless at FISSURE Playground #1, where they crashed out of the group stage with defeats against Lynn Vision Gaming and 3DMAX.

Team Liquid have not been doing well recently either. They exited the Austin Major with a 0-3 record and then suffered a humiliating 1-2 loss against Sashi Esports in the European ESL Pro League Season 22 qualifiers.

Both teams are in shaky form, and while Liquid look better on paper, paiN Gaming have shown much higher highs. The wrong team is favoured.