ESL announced on Sunday that Intel Extreme Masters Cologne will host a Counter-Strike 2 Major next year, marking the event’s return to the German city for the first time since 2016.
Recognized as the home of some of Counter-Strike’s most historic moments, Cologne will be back on the menu as the host city of the Valve-sponsored event from June 2–21.
IEM Cologne 2026 will be the third Major to feature an extended 32-team lineup, after BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 and StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.
The ‘Cathedral of Counter-Strike’ has previously hosted three CS:GO Majors, including the third-ever Major — ESL One Cologne 2014.
The returned to the schedule a year later with ESL One Cologne 2015 and last featured in 2016, when the renowned SK Gaming roster won their second championship.
“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 Winter, Director of Game Ecosystems 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.”
The announcement was made shortly after Team Spirit hoisted the IEM Cologne trophy at the Lanxess Arena, where they beat MOUZ in the grand final on Sunday.
The focus now shifts to BLAST Bounty Fall 2025, followed by the heavily anticipated CS2 Esports World Cup tournament, scheduled to begin on August 20.
