The biggest CS2 tournament of 2026 is almost here — the IEM Cologne 2026 Major. Thirty-two of the world’s best teams will battle for the championship title. This event is worth watching not only because it features the highest level of Counter-Strike, but also because of the incredible storylines that will unfold right before our eyes. Today, the CS.MONEY Blog breaks down the most exciting narratives heading into Cologne. Let’s get started!
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Who will stop the greatest team in Counter-Strike history?
After Team Vitality signed ropz, a new era began in Counter-Strike history. Now we can safely say that the French club has surpassed the legendary Astralis as the strongest team of all time. This is true even though Team Vitality currently has fewer Major trophies.
ZywOo and his teammates arrive in Cologne as such massive favorites that it is hard to even imagine an opponent capable of punishing them for their mistakes. But there are serious teams in the tournament. Team Spirit has started its comeback after a long slump. To a large extent, the Dragons’ current rise is connected to the temporary appearance of S0tF1k as the team coach.
While hally remains the architect of Team Spirit’s overall system and game plan, S0tF1k helped improve many of the smaller details. During his time with the main roster, Team Spirit significantly improved things like utility usage. Perfect utility is one of Vitality’s main trump cards against everyone else, so the gap here could shrink seriously.
Also, do not count out Team Falcons. Yes, karrigan joined the roster relatively recently, and this time was clearly not enough to build a rock-solid foundation, but they have two strong arguments:
- The guys have top-tier individual raw skill.
- IEM Cologne Major 2026 will last for three long weeks, and during this marathon, you can progress insanely and develop team chemistry.
FalleN’s last real chance?
The Brazilian legend will retire from professional play later this year. It’s obvious that he won’t arrive at the second Major as a fully committed in-game leader, since the team will likely already be discussing a new captain and transferring leadership responsibilities to other players.
Because of that, IEM Cologne 2026 Major could be the last time we see FURIA in the form that once made them the second-best team in the world. This roster has tons of experience and plenty of talent, so writing them off would be a mistake. Especially if they can reset mentally and shake off the weight of recent bad results.
The End of MOUZ and Team Liquid?
Two major organizations could face a turning point in Germany. Right now, neither MOUZ nor Team Liquid look like themselves, and neither team is performing at the level their fans expect. Their situations are different, though.
MOUZ remain a consistent presence at big tournaments and continue competing at the tier-one level, even if they rarely reach the biggest matches. At the same time, it feels like the team has hit a ceiling. The players are ambitious, and this situation can’t continue forever.
Watching EliGE and his teammates has become painful for Team Liquid fans. Despite having plenty of individually talented players, the team still struggles to find chemistry. Their results have been terrible lately, and the downward trend keeps getting worse. Cologne could be where everything finally falls apart.
Major rules limit the number of roster changes teams can make during the event, but if either squad fails in Germany, a massive rebuild could follow. Both organizations may decide to completely reshape their core lineups.
The Young Guns
Finally, let’s talk about FUT. They are the youngest team at the tournament, with an average player age below 20. The squad has already come very close to breaking into the tier-one scene, and Cologne will be the perfect test against the best teams in the world.
On one hand, that creates enormous pressure for such a young roster. On the other hand, Germany could be where we witness their breakthrough and see them reach a completely new level. This is definitely a team worth keeping a close eye on.
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Сообщение IEM Cologne 2026 Major Preview: Top Storylines and Favorites появились сначала на CS.MONEY Blog.