The sale of IEM Cologne 2026 Major items has started in CS2. Along with them, Valve launched a completely revamped Major Shop, where team stickers and player autographs can now be purchased directly, without capsules. Viewer Pass, Pick’Em, and a new system for creating souvenir weapons — Souvenir-O-Matic — are also now available in the game.
The old sales model has been completely reworked
The main change for this Major is that Valve has effectively rebuilt the entire old sticker sales model. If everything used to revolve around capsules and random drops, the shop now works like a direct marketplace: you choose exactly which logo or autograph you want to buy. The Major itself will take place in Cologne, and 32 teams will compete in the tournament.
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What exactly was released
Along with the Cologne 2026 Major Items, the following appeared in the game:
- Team Stickers for all participating teams
- Player Autograph Stickers for players from those teams
- Cologne 2026 Viewer Pass
- Pick’Em Challenge
- Souvenir-O-Matic for creating your own souvenirs
So this is not a standalone sticker drop, but a full tournament package. Valve directly emphasizes that you can now immediately buy the exact sticker you want — for example, a team holo logo or a foil autograph from a specific player — without RNG.
Where to buy them and how it works
Everything is sold through the Major Shop inside CS2. The system works like this: first you add the sticker you want to your cart, then you buy tokens, and then you redeem the selected sticker with those tokens. You cannot stock up on tokens in advance — the system only asks for the amount needed for a specific purchase. The minimum is 100 tokens for $0.99.
The main nuance is that the prices are dynamic. The cost of a sticker depends on demand: if one is bought more often, it becomes more expensive, while less popular ones may become cheaper. If, after a purchase, the price drops by more than 25 tokens within a day, Valve will refund the difference in tokens.
What the sticker theme looks like
In terms of mood, the set is tied to the image of the Cologne Major itself as the return of a Major to the “Cathedral of Counter-Strike.” This is not a “fun capsule” release, but a more prestige-focused tournament set, where the emphasis is on the status of the event, direct choice, and collectible value.
The main idea here is not a lottery, but control. The player decides for themselves which logo or signature they want and buys exactly that.
What is happening with souvenirs
Valve also added Souvenir-O-Matic. You can now take any regular or souvenir weapon you own, select a played match and one player from it, and then receive that same weapon back in Souvenir quality with gold stickers of the teams, autograph, and map.
This means souvenirs have become much more personalized. But there is one important nuance: if the weapon already had other stickers on it, they will be removed before the souvenir is created.
Viewer Pass and Pick’Em
Alongside the items, Valve also launched the Cologne 2026 Viewer Pass. After activating it, the player receives a Challenge Coin and access to the Pick’Em Challenge. The coin can be upgraded from Bronze to Diamond, and each upgrade gives 300 tokens that can be spent on stickers or souvenirs.
So Pick’Em is directly tied to the new shop economy here: the better you perform in the tournament challenge, the more resources you get back for purchases.
Section: all Cologne 2026 team stickers
Team stickers for all 32 participants of the IEM Cologne 2026 Major are available for purchase, as well as player autographs for every team.
- Stage 1:
GamerLegion, B8, BetBoom, HEROIC, M80, Liquid, SINNERS, MIBR, TYLOO, BIG, NRG, Lynn Vision, Gaimin Gladiators, Sharks, FlyQuest, THUNDER dOWNUNDER. - Stage 2:
Spirit, Astralis, G2, FUT, Legacy, 9z, paiN, Monte. - Stage 3:
Vitality, Natus Vincere, Falcons, FURIA, Aurora, PARIVISION, The MongolZ, MOUZ.
In total, this is 32 team stickers and a full set of player autographs for all Major teams.
How the money is split
Valve also updated the royalty system. 50% of the revenue from the Major Shop and Major Pass goes to the tournament operator, teams, and players. The organizer is allocated 5.0%, while the team shares are then distributed by placement: from 2.85% for first place down to 0.72% for 32nd. Half of that share goes to the club, and the other half is split equally among the five players.
Cologne 2026 Major Items
Valve turned the Cologne 2026 Major Items into more than just a new sticker set — it is a full relaunch of the tournament shop. CS2 now has direct sticker sales, dynamic pricing, token-based refund protection, Souvenir-O-Matic, and the familiar Viewer Pass + Pick’Em bundle.
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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.
