Playoffs at the IEM Cologne 2026 Major begin tomorrow and the "Cathedral of Counter-Strike" awaits.



For the second consecutive Major, FURIA and Team Spirit finished Stage III with perfect 3-0 records. Aurora, Falcons, and Vitality finished 3-1, and 9z Team, BetBoom, and G2 Esports advanced with 3-2 records.

The Lanxess Arena will host the Playoffs, beginning with Thursday's Quarterfinals matchups:

• 9z Team vs. FURIA
  
• Aurora vs. BetBoom
  

The second set of Quarterfinals takes place Friday, featuring:

• G2 Esports vs. Team Spirit
  
• Falcons vs. Vitality
  

With Semifinals on Saturday and the Grand Finals on Sunday, we're in for a great weekend of Counter-Strike.

As the Playoffs approach, there's still time to support your favorite teams. Team and player stickers are still available, with 50% of tournament item sales being shared with the tournament organizer, teams, and players.

And don't forget, all Playoff picks for the Pick'Em Challenge must be submitted prior to the first Playoff match beginning; you don't want to miss your Diamond Coin!

Vitality are looking to win their third straight Major. Will anyone stop them? Tune in and find out!

\

• Added display of lowest and highest sticker price in the last 7 days in the Cologne 2026 Major Shop.
• Added stickers showcase to the Cologne 2026 Major Hub tile on the main menu.

\

• Added multi-select functionality in Storage Units deposit/retrieve UI.
• Added appropriate error message when user's inventory is full and they try to redeem Weekly Care Package rewards, Armory items, or items in the Major Shop cart.
• Fixed number wrapping rules in some languages.

\

• Added ability to bookmark stickers in Cologne 2026 Shop.

\

• Added convar r_spectator_flashbang_opacity to control flashbang opacity for remote spectators.
• Flashbang effect for remote spectators now renders underneath the HUD.
• Stability improvements

\Ancient

• Updated clipping to prevent certain boost locations

Sanctum

• Updated to the latest version from Steam Workshop (Update Notes)

The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is fast approaching. Teams are making final adjustments, fine-tuning their strats, and crossing their fingers that they won't face Vitality until the Grand Final. That can only mean one thing: Tournament Items featuring Teams and Player Autographs are now available for purchase!

The 2026 Cologne Major Shop

The Major Shop has undergone some major renovation--now you can directly get any sticker you want (at prices set by demand). Holo Furia logo? You got it. Foil Donk autograph? No problem.

You can purchase tokens and redeem them for any sticker you want. The prices of stickers will depend on relative demand (when lots of players buy a particular sticker, its price goes up and other sticker prices go down), but if you're worried that a sticker might drop in price right after you buy it, we've got you covered. If a sticker price drops by more than 25 tokens within 24 hours of your purchase you'll get a refund of tokens for the total difference.

Details about the Major Shop renovation and how this all works can be found in the FAQ below.

Souvenir-O-Matic

What will you bring to the signing session? Now you can craft your own Souvenir! Take any normal or Souvenir quality weapon in your inventory and select a completed match and one of the players. You'll get your weapon back in Souvenir quality with gold team, autograph, and map stickers applied.

Pick'Em

Purchase and activate a Cologne 2026 Viewer Pass, and you'll receive a 2026 Cologne Major Challenge Coin. Play the Pick'Em Challenge to upgrade your Challenge Coin from Bronze to Silver, Gold, or Diamond and with each upgrade you'll get 300 tokens that you can redeem for the stickers or souvenirs of your choice.

Supporting the Teams
As with previous Majors, 50% of the tournament item sales are shared with the Tournament Organizer, Teams, and Players. But this time the royalty rates depend on performance. Between now and the end of the Major royalty rates for token sales are based on the teams' VRS seeding, and after the Major the royalty rates will be based on the Major final standings. The breakdown is in the FAQ, below.

So clear your schedule and tune in, as the Major returns to the Cathedral of Counter-Strike!

FAQ

Q. Why aren't you selling capsules?
In the past we shipped team and player autograph stickers in capsules. While this approach was popular, we've heard feedback that players might prefer to purchase stickers directly. Additionally, players in certain regions cannot purchase sticker capsules. So we're exploring alternatives that allow all players to participate.

Q. How do I get tournament items?
Add any sticker or stickers you like to your cart, and check out. To complete your transaction, first you'll purchase and activate tokens, and then redeem those tokens for your sticker.

Sticker purchases are final and cannot be refunded. If you cancel your transaction before activating your tokens, those tokens _can_ be refunded. If you cancel your transaction after activating your tokens, the tokens will remain in your balance (and cannot be refunded) but you can redeem them for something else.

Q. How are sticker prices set?
The prices of all stickers depend on relative demand. This means that if one sticker is purchased disproportionately more than another, its price will go up and the other sticker's price will go down. After a large number of stickers are sold, all sticker prices will update (you'll get a warning if you're shopping when this is about to happen). The prices in tokens you see are the same prices for everyone worldwide.

Q. Why do I have to purchase tokens?
Tokens are a little less convenient than just paying for stickers outright. But the reality is that if stickers could be refunded after being purchased, then the sticker prices would not accurately represent real demand.

Q. Can I pre-purchase tokens?
No. Tokens are only purchased when you're buying stickers and do not already have enough tokens in your balance. In that case, you'll be asked to purchase the exact number of tokens required (minimum 100, which is $0.99 USD) to complete your transaction.

Q. What if the sticker price goes down after I redeem my tokens?
If the price of any redeemed sticker decreases by 25 tokens or more within the next 24 hours, we'll automatically issue you a refund of tokens for the difference between your redemption price and the lowest price in that period. Refunds are automatically credited to your tokens balance after one week.

Q. How do souvenirs work this time?
Take any weapon of normal or souvenir quality in your inventory and select a completed match and one of the players from that match. You'll permanently convert that weapon into a Souvenir with gold team, autograph, and map stickers applied. You will have a chance to see a preview of your souvenir before you complete your purchase.

If the weapon had any existing stickers, they will be removed before you craft your souvenir.

Q. How are souvenir prices determined?
Souvenir prices are determined by two factors: the demand for the specific gold team and autograph stickers involved, and the rarity of the weapon you choose for your souvenir.

Q. How are royalties shared among the tournament organizer, teams and players?
50% of total Major Shop and Major Pass revenue is shared as royalties with the tournament organizer, teams, and players. The chart below shows how that 50% is distributed. Note that for each team position, half of the royalties are shared with the team organization, and the other half is split equally among the five players.

Between now and the grand final, royalties are shared based on the teams' global VRS leading into the event. After the grand final, royalties will be shared based on the final standings.


PositionRoyalty
Tournament Organizer5.0%
12.85%
22.53%
32.25%
42.25%
52.00%
62.00%
72.00%
82.00%
91.78%
101.78%
111.78%
121.56%
131.56%
141.56%
151.35%
161.35%
171.15%
181.15%
191.15%
201.00%
211.00%
221.00%
230.90%
240.90%
250.81%
260.81%
270.81%
280.76%
290.76%
300.76%
310.72%
320.72%

\

• The IEM Cologne 2026 Major Hub is now available. Visit the hub to purchase tournament items, play the Pick'Em Challenge and more.
• Purchase a Cologne 2026 Viewer Pass to receive an upgradable Cologne 2026 Coin. With an active pass, you can upgrade your coin and earn rewards by playing the Pick'Em Challenge. Additionally, you will show up on the Active Pass Leaderboard where you can compare your Pick'Em Challenge performance to your friends.

\

• Fixed a case of incorrect scoreboard timeline presentation in overtime.
• Fixed weapon entities disallowing pickup from showing pick up weapon hint text.
• Increased spectator in-eye flash amount.

\

• Souvenir quality items can now be selected in Trade Up Contract alongside normal quality items. All Souvenir attributes will be removed from any souvenir items selected, and the result of a Trade Up Contract will be a single normal item of a quality one higher, from a collection of all of the items selected for exchange.
• Fixed a case where tire fire particles were flickering in the advanced video preview.
• Adjusted finger animation on Bayonet model.

\Cache

• Adjusted player and grenade collision.
• Adjusted material blending to improve accuracy of footstep sounds.
• Fixed several gaps reported by players.

Ancient

• Fixed a gap in the wall.

\

• Fixed a case of post-processing glitch when switching spectator targets on maps with different post-processing volumes.
• Fixed a case of stuck x-ray silhouettes when switching spectator targets.
• Fixed spectator damage overlay effect.

\

• Added weapon_accuracy_stack_boost_limit (default value "2") to apply ladder inaccuracy to players boosted by a stack of this many or more players.
• Adjustments to AWP draw to idle animation transition.
• Improved consistency of grenade jump throws and the accuracy of the jump throw preview camera.

\Cache

• Adjusted model for window covers to show collision / decals when shot.
• Adjustments to player clipping and grenade clipping around windows, window covers, and vent entrance.

\

• Added Instance.RegisterCheatCommand
• Added Instance.GetAllPlayerControllers
• Added Instance.OnBeginRoundRestart
• Added Instance.SetRoundRemainingTime
• Added CSPlayerController.AddMoneySpendableNow
• Added CSPlayerController.GetMoneySpendableNow
• Added CSPlayerController.AddMoneyEarnedForNextRound
• Added CSPlayerController.GetMoneyEarnedForNextRound
• Added CSPlayerPawn.HasHelmet
• Added CSPlayerPawn.SetHasHelmet
• Added CSPlayerPawn.IsScoped
• Added CSWeaponBase.IsSilencerOn
• Changed the activator for OnPlayerUse to always be the player
• Changed the caller for OnPlayerUse to always be the used entity
• Fixed the value of CSInputs.LOOK_AT_WEAPON
• Fixed a potential crash in exception handling

\Cache

• Fixed various holes in map
• Fixed surfacetypes for various materials.
• Added grating to some windows to make them block bullets.
• Tweaks to player and grenade clipping.

\

• Fixed a case where it was possible to cancel a grenade throw after the throw was started near the end of the pin pull animation.
• Miscellaneous stability improvements.

\

• Fixed bug that prevented the asset in use from being selected when model browser was opened.
• Fixed bug with layered materials with same surface property on all layers. 

\

• Added roundmvpanthem_02 for all NIGHTMODE II music kits which plays at 1:5 ratio.

Today we are releasing six new music kits with NIGHTMODE Records. NIGHTMODE II Music Kits are now available in the STORE tab, featuring:

• ALRT, DOPAMINE HIT
  
• Altare, Change My Mind
  
• borne, Give It To Me
  
• Pirapus, EVERYNITE
  
• Repiet & Julia Kleijn, On And On
  
• ShockOne, Voices
  

Alongside new music kits, we've continued updating Cache and made other miscellaneous fixes.

Release Notes for today's update can be found here.

\Cache

• Fixed various holes in map.
• Simplified grenade clipping in various areas.
• Fixed sounds and surfacetypes for various materials.
• Orange wire spool at Sandbags has been exchanged for white wire.

\

• NIGHTMODE II Music Kits are now available for purchase in standard and StatTrak versions through the STORE tab.

\

• Fixed progressive refinement rendering Source Film Maker.

\

• User Viewmodel FOV now correctly networks to remote clients.
• Adjusted player model occlusion bounds.
• Fixed ragdolls missing death velocity when shot in specific body locations.
• Minor adjustments to ground smoothing transitions when leaving the ground and when landing.
• Fixed a case where post-processing transitions weren't smooth (e.g. at the end of freeze time).
• Fixed a case where map guides for Ancient wouldn't load in the nighttime version
• Adjusted score values for various weapons in Deathmatch.
• Adjusted XP limits in Deathmatch and Arms Race.