Aurora became the first semifinalist of IEM Cologne Major 2026 after a commanding 2-0 victory over BetBoom in the quarterfinals. The Turkish squad controlled the series from start to finish, winning on Nuke and Anubis to continue their impressive run in Cologne. Meanwhile, BetBoom’s remarkable Cinderella story came to an end despite becoming the only team to reach the playoffs after starting from Stage 1.
Teams’ Paths
Aurora began Stage 3 with victories over Monte and G2 before losing a close series to Spirit. The team then bounced back by defeating 9z to secure a playoff berth and has now eliminated BetBoom to reach the semifinals.
BetBoom’s journey was one of the biggest surprises of the Major. After advancing from Stage 1, they defeated The MongolZ and Falcons to start Stage 3 with a 2-0 record. Consecutive losses to FURIA and Vitality dropped them to the 2-2 pool, but a victory over FUT secured a playoff place. Their run eventually ended in the quarterfinals against Aurora.
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Aurora Take Control on BetBoom’s Pick
BetBoom chose Nuke hoping to gain an early advantage, but Aurora quickly turned the map in their favor. Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın and Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş dominated the server as Aurora secured a convincing 13-6 victory.
Anubis, Aurora’s own pick, followed a similar script. BetBoom stayed competitive during the first half, but Aurora pulled away after the break and closed the map 13-9 to complete the clean sweep and secure a place in the top four.
Wicadia Shines for Aurora
Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın delivered one of his best performances of the tournament. The Turkish rifler finished the series with a stellar 2.08 rating on Nuke and an overall team-leading display. XANTARES also impressed with a 1.78 rating and 117.9 ADR on the opening map, while woxic posted a perfect 100% KAST.
For BetBoom, Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov was the standout player with a 1.40 rating, but the Russian side struggled collectively against Aurora’s aggressive style.
VRS Impact
Aurora gained 35 VRS points and climbed from eighth to sixth place in the rankings. BetBoom lost 12 points and dropped from tenth to twelfth after their quarterfinal exit.
Team Reactions
Aurora celebrated qualification to the semifinals with a confident message on X:
Bye-Bye Team See you on Saturday for Major Semifinals.
BetBoom, meanwhile, reflected on their historic campaign:
Three weeks of an insane Swiss-system marathon from the first stage all the way to the IEM Cologne 2026 playoffs. Our team proved we can handle anything!
The organization also highlighted several milestones achieved during the Major, including reaching the world’s top 10 and becoming the only Stage 1 team to make the playoffs.
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What’s Next?
With the victory, Aurora move into the semifinals and are now just one series away from reaching the grand final of IEM Cologne Major 2026. BetBoom leave Cologne with their heads held high after one of the most memorable underdog runs of the tournament, proving they can compete with the world’s elite despite starting their journey from Stage 1.
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.
