B8 have completed an impressive run through Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major 2026, defeating BIG 2-1 in the decisive qualification series to secure a place in Stage 3. The Ukrainian squad recovered after losing the opening map and dominated the final two maps to eliminate the German side in front of their home crowd. For BIG, the loss brought an end to a memorable Cologne campaign, while B8 continued one of the best Major runs in the organization’s history.
Tournament context
The series was one of the final do-or-die matches of Stage 2. Both teams entered the day with identical 2-2 records, meaning the winner would advance to Stage 3 while the loser would be eliminated from the tournament.
BIG arrived in the deciding match after victories over paiN and MIBR, but losses against Monte and G2 left the Germans needing one final win to keep their Major dream alive.
B8’s path was far more dramatic. After opening Stage 2 with a loss to FUT and M80, the Ukrainian team responded with victories over GamerLegion and stand in the 1-2 pool. Their win over MIBR on the previous day gave them one final opportunity to fight for a place among the last sixteen teams.
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Ancient — BIG strike first
B8 selected Ancient, but BIG looked much sharper from the start. Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz and Benjamin “blameF” Bremer controlled the pace of the game and repeatedly punished the Ukrainians’ attacks. The German side maintained its advantage throughout the map and secured a comfortable 13-7 victory to move one map away from Stage 3.
Overpass — B8 answer back
Facing elimination, B8 produced one of their best maps of the tournament. The Ukrainians completely shut down BIG’s offense and built a huge lead that never looked threatened. Danylo “s1zzi” Vinnyk and Artem “kensizor” Kapran led the charge as B8 cruised to a dominant 13-6 victory and forced the series to a decider.
Dust2 — B8 finish the job
Everything came down to Dust2, where B8 once again proved to be the better team. Despite BIG’s attempts to stay alive, the Ukrainian side controlled the pace of the map and consistently won the crucial rounds. Powered by outstanding performances from s1zzi and kensizor, B8 closed out the map 13-8 and completed the comeback to win the series 2-1.
s1zzishines in the decisive series
Danylo “s1zzi” Vinnyk was the standout player of the match, finishing with a 1.49 rating across all three maps. Artem “kensizor” Kapran followed with a 1.39 rating, while Andrii “npl” Kukharskyi also delivered important contributions.
For BIG, Benjamin “blameF” Bremer was the team’s best player with a 1.31 rating, but his efforts were not enough to prevent elimination.
Team reactions
B8 celebrated qualification with a simple but emotional message:
Stage 3 secured.
The organization also released a victory poster featuring s1zzi after completing the comeback against BIG. Despite the disappointment, BIG thanked the home crowd and supporters who stood behind the team throughout the tournament.
No matter the result, we couldn’t be more proud of what we achieved in Cologne. Thank you for the incredible support, and see you again soon!
The Germans accompanied the message with a farewell graphic titled “Our Run Ends Here.”
What comes next?
B8 advance to Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 and will now face the world’s best teams in the battle for playoff spots. BIG, meanwhile, leave their home Major with a 2-3 record after victories over paiN and MIBR, falling just one series short of reaching the final stage.
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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.
