The opening day of Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026 brought two hard-fought series. 9z recovered after dropping the opening map against PARIVISION to secure a comeback victory, while BetBoom Team overcame The MongolZ in another three-map battle. Both teams began the stage with a 1-0 record and moved one step closer to the playoffs.
Teams’ road to Stage 3
- 9z qualified for Stage 3 with a 3-1 record in Stage 2. Along the way they defeated Astralis, FlyQuest and TYLOO, while suffering loos against Spirit.
- PARIVISION received a direct invitation to Stage 3 thanks to their position in the Valve Regional Standings.
- BetBoom also advanced with a 3-1 record. Their road included wins over GamerLegion, M80 and Monte, while defeats came against Spirit.
- Unlike their opponents, The MongolZ received a direct invitation to Stage 3 thanks to their position in the Valve Regional Standings.
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9z recover against PARIVISION
The series between 9z and PARIVISION started with the CIS side taking Dust2 13-8. However, the South Americans completely turned the match around afterward. 9z dominated Overpass 13-1 before closing the series on Inferno with a 13-9 victory. Luciano “luchov” Herrera became the main star of the match. The Argentine rifler produced an outstanding performance, finishing the series with a 2.00 rating and 129.1 ADR.
BetBoom edge The MongolZ in three maps
The second series followed a similar pattern. The MongolZ struck first with a narrow 13-11 victory on Dust2, but BetBoom answered in convincing fashion. The Russian squad controlled Mirage 13-6 and then closed out Ancient 13-11 to secure their first win of Stage 3. Timur “FL4MUS” Marev led BetBoom to victory with a 1.25 rating, while Boombl4 and zorte also played crucial roles throughout the series.
Best players of the matches
Luciano “luchov” Herrera was the highest-rated player in the 9z versus PARIVISION series, ending the match with a 2.00 rating. For BetBoom, Timur “FL4MUS” Marev earned player of the match honors after recording a 1.25 rating and 54 kills across the three maps.
Team reactions
9z celebrated the reverse sweep with a confident message on X:
THIS IS 9Z DAMN IT.
The organization also reminded fans that the team now sits at 1-0 in the Swiss stage.
PARIVISION reacted to the defeat with a short post:
0-1 bracket is waiting.
Meanwhile, The MongolZ acknowledged the loss with a simple “0-1” graphic after the series.
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What’s next?
With the victories, 9z and BetBoom improved to 1-0 in Stage 3 and moved into the winners’ bracket. PARIVISION and The MongolZ dropped to the 0-1 pool, where they will need to bounce back quickly to avoid falling into elimination territory.
Skin.Club Pick’em Challenge
Running alongside the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is the Skin.Club Pick’em Challenge — an interactive feature where fans predict match results, choose advancing teams, and earn points throughout the tournament. By making accurate picks, participants unlock rewards ranging from premium skins to rare gloves and knives, with the ultimate prize being the iconic AWP | Dragon Lore.
