IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage 1 Pick’Em guide (Updated)

The first stage of the IEM Cologne Major is set to begin, bringing 16 teams to the server to fight for a spot in the next phase of the tournament. As always, we have sat down in the Pley office to discuss which teams we believe in, and which teams we think will be heading for de_airport right away.

You can follow the tournament on our Major Hub page, where you can see stats, livestreams and all the latest news from the tournament.

ESL confirmed the opening matchups yesterday, so we are now ready to give our best Pick’em guide for the Cologne Major.

IEM Cologne Major stage 1 opening matchups

Here is the complete overview of the opening round matchups for Stage 1 of the IEM Cologne Major.

To complete the Pick’Em, we need to identify two teams that will go 3-0, six teams that will advance with a 3-1 or 3-2 record, and two teams that will exit the tournament with a 0-3 record.

The flawless predictions (3-0)

• GamerLegion: Entering Stage 1 as the highest rated team from our power rankings, GamerLegion look poised for a clean sweep. They open their campaign as the betting favorites against NRG, a team that consistently struggles against top-tier opposition. With REZ in strong form, GamerLegion should secure a comfortable opening victory and carry that momentum forward.
• MIBR: The Brazilian squad brings a level of consistency that is highly useful for a 3-0 run in the Swiss system. They face THUNDERdOWNUNDER in the first round. Given the Oceanic region’s lack of practice against European competition, MIBR should take this win easily and set themselves up for a flawless progression. Felipe “insani” Yuji has also shown his incredible level at times, and he alone can be the x-factor that MIBR needs to go 3-0.

The advancing teams (3-2, 3-1)

• BIG: Playing on home turf in Germany gives BIG a distinct advantage. They face Team Liquid in the first round, which is a highly anticipated matchup. It will be a good test for BIG to see what kind of tournament this will be for the German organization, which hopes to restore its glory with a good run in Cologne.
• Team Liquid: Despite the tough opening draw against BIG, the North American and Polish roster has enough individual talent to navigate the rest of the bracket. Their well-documented inconsistency keeps them out of the 3-0 conversation, but they remain a solid pick to advance.
• BetBoom: This team possesses an incredibly high ceiling, having recently defeated Team Vitality. While their consistency is a documented issue, their sheer firepower should carry them through a Swiss format against lower-ranked opponents. They open against Gaimin Gladiators, which should serve as an excellent starting point.
  • Update: S1ren misses the first day of action in Cologne, which just confirms our thoughts about not putting them into the 3-0 bracket.
• B8: The Ukrainian roster has proven capable of defeating teams outside the absolute top tier. They face TYLOO in their opening match, entering as clear favorites. They might struggle when the pressure peaks later in the tournament, but they have enough quality to reach Stage 2.
• HEROIC: While they looked poor on key maps like Mirage and Inferno at PGL Astana, HEROIC still outclasses the bottom tier of this group. A favorable opening match against Sharks provides them with the perfect opportunity to build confidence and secure a spot in the next stage.
  • Since this article was released, HEROIC crashed out of the Stake Ranked Episode 2 tournament, losing to 9z and Ninjas in Pyjamas. If we were to redo our Pick’ems, HEROIC could fall out of prediction to advance. TYLOO could be a better pick here.
• M80: The North American squad has shown flashes of potential and draws Lynn Vision in the first round. They sit comfortably in the middle of the pack and have the tactical foundation to secure three wins against the lower-seeded teams in this pool.

The early exits (0-3)

• FlyQuest: It is incredibly rare to see teams attend a Major without having played official matches against other top-tier rosters. FlyQuest falls into this category, and their opening best of one against SINNERS will be an immediate test of their preparedness. Playing the odds, placing them in this bracket maximizes the chances of securing a correct pick.
• THUNDER dOWNUNDER: Much like their Oceanic counterparts in FlyQuest, THUNDER dOWNUNDER have spent an extended period away from the European practice circuit. They face a tough opening draw against MIBR. By placing both Oceanic teams as our 0-3 selections, we are strategically playing the odds. It is highly probable that at least one of these two rosters will exit Cologne without a single match win, practically guaranteeing a point for this section of the Pick’Em challenge.

We wish you good luck with the Major Pick’ems, and remember to follow the IEM Cologne Major on our tournament hub page, where you can get all the information you need about the tournament, matches, and news from the biggest event of the year in CS.