The Cathedral of Counter-Strike is gearing up for another round of legendary showdowns as IEM Cologne 2025 brings together the world’s best CS2 teams from July 23 to Aug. 3.
Once again, the iconic LANXESS Arena in Cologne, Germany, will host the action with a $1 million prize pot on the line. Many of the top contenders are coming off their runs at the Austin Major 2025, including the eventual winners and reigning IEM Cologne champions Team Vitality.
Here’s everything you need to know about one of the most prestigious events in the CS2 calendar.
IEM Cologone 2025 teams and format
These are the 24 teams competing in the tournament:
| Directly Qualified Teams | |
|---|---|
| Team Vitality MOUZ Team Spirit Team Falcons The MongolZ Aurora Gaming G2 Esports Natus Vincere |
GamerLegion FaZe Clan Astralis 3DMAX HEROIC Team Liquid Virtus.pro FURIA TYLOO MIBR B8 Ninjas in Pyjamas BIG paiN Gaming FlyQuest |
The tournament unfolds across three phases: the play-in, group stage, and playoffs.
It all kicks off with 16 teams battling through a double-elimination bracket in the play-in stage, where all matches are best-of-three. The top eight teams from this stage move on to the group stage, joining the eight directly qualified squads based on Valve Regional Standings (VRS) in June.
In the group stage, the 16 teams are split into two GSL-style double-elimination groups. Every match here is a best-of-three. The top three teams from each group move forward to the playoffs.
Group winners punch their ticket straight to the semifinals, while second- and third-place teams head to the quarterfinals, seeded accordingly.
The playoffs follow a single-elimination format. Quarterfinals and semifinals are best-of-three, culminating in a best-of-five grand final.
IEM Cologne 2025 schedule, results, and standings
We’ll update this section as soon as the official match schedule is announced.
IEM Cologne 2025 final rankings and prize distribution
| Team | Placing | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| TBD | Champion | $400,000 |
| TBD | 2nd | $180,000 |
| TBD TBD |
3rd-4th | $80,000 |
| TBD TBD |
5th-6th | $40,000 |
| TBD TBD |
7th-8th | $24,000 |
| TBD TBD TBD TBD |
9th-12th | $16,000 |
| TBD TBD TBD TBD |
13th-16th | $10,000 |
| TBD TBD TBD TBD |
17th-20th | $4,500 |
| TBD TBD TBD TBD |
21st-24th | $2,500 |
Where to watch IEM Cologne 2025
Catch the matches live on the following ESL official channels:
