The race for the final IEM Cologne Major spots is effectively over. Although the official Valve Regional Standings (VRS) update will be released on April 6, the outcome is already clear — FaZe will not attend the Major.
FaZe entered HLC Belgrade PRO 2026 with no room for error. A string of poor results earlier in the season, including their exit at DraculaN Season 6, forced them into a last-chance scenario. The team even chose to prioritize this event over PGL Bucharest to maximize their qualification chances. They delivered throughout most of the tournament, reaching the grand final without dropping a series.
Grand final collapse ends FaZe’s hopes
FaZe started the final strongly, with karrigan delivering a standout performance and posting a 2.32 rating on Dust2. However, momentum shifted quickly. BIG edged out Overpass 13-11, then dominated Anubis 13-3 to close the series.
FaZe’s long-standing issues on Anubis once again proved decisive. The team has not won the map in roughly ten months, and that weakness resurfaced at the worst possible moment. The 1-2 loss brought their Major qualification campaign to an end.
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How BIG and SINNERS benefited
The qualification scenarios were simple going into the event. BIG needed a top-two finish to secure their Major spot, and their run to the grand final was enough. FaZe, by contrast, had to win the entire tournament — anything less meant elimination.
SINNERS depended on exactly this outcome. They needed either FaZe to fall short of the title or BIG to miss the final. FaZe’s defeat created the opening, allowing SINNERS to lock in the final available Major slot.
End of an era for FaZe
With no remaining events capable of changing the standings, the VRS race has effectively concluded. The upcoming April 6 update will only confirm what is already decided.
FaZe, the StarLadder Budapest Major runners-up, will miss the Cologne Major. It marks the first time in nearly a decade that the organization will not appear at a Major — bringing one of the longest-standing streaks in Counter-Strike to an end.
