The second batch of opening matches in Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026 saw FURIA and Aurora begin their campaigns with convincing victories. The Brazilian side overcame B8 in two maps, while Aurora continued their impressive form by sweeping Monte to move into the 1-0 pool.
FURIA too strong for B8 in Stage 3 opener
After successfully navigating Stage 2, FURIA and B8 met in one of the opening matches of the final Swiss phase. Despite B8 selecting Mirage, the Brazilians controlled the key moments and secured a 13-10 victory on the Ukrainians’ map pick.
The series then moved to Inferno, where FURIA completely took over. Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo’s team dominated the map from start to finish and closed it 13-4, sealing a comfortable 2-0 victory to begin Stage 3.
KSCERATO leads the way for FURIA
Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato was the best player of the series, posting a 1.38 rating and earning Player of the Match honors. Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis also impressed with 31 kills and a 1.33 rating, while Yuri “yuurih” Santos contributed a 1.28 rating.
For B8, Dmytro “esenthial” Tsvir was the highest-rated player with a 0.99 rating, while none of the Ukrainian players managed to finish above the 1.00 mark.
Aurora sweep Monte to continue strong run
Aurora entered Stage 3 after an impressive showing in the previous phase and continued their momentum against Monte. The Turkish squad secured a 13-10 victory on Nuke, Monte’s map pick, before finishing the series with a 13-7 win on Anubis.
Monte struggled to find answers against Aurora’s aggressive style and dropped to the 0-1 pool after a one-sided series.
soulfly stars in Aurora’s victory
Caner “soulfly” Kesici delivered the best performance of the match with a 1.32 rating and 31 kills across the two maps. Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın followed with a 1.25 rating, while Özgür “woxic” Eker and Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli also made important contributions.
For Monte, Aurélien “afro” Drapier was the only player to finish with a rating above 1.00, recording a 1.05 rating. Aurimas “Bymas” Pipiras endured a difficult series, ending with a 0.60 rating.
Teams react
FURIA celebrated the victory on social media with the message:
VICTORY IN THE MAJOR DEBUT! Mirage 13-10, Inferno 13-4. FURIA delivers the 2×0 over B8 to open 1-0 in Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major.
B8 acknowledged the defeat with a short post:
We drop to 0-1.
Aurora were equally enthusiastic after defeating Monte:
WE’RE STARTING WITH A MAJOR VICTORY!
Meanwhile, Monte remained optimistic despite the loss and reminded fans:
Still in the race.
VRS impact
The victory earned FURIA 41 VRS points, moving the Brazilians from 13th to 8th place, while B8 lost eight points and remained 17th. Aurora gained 25 points and climbed from 10th to 7th in the Valve Regional Standings. Monte lost two points and stayed in 19th position.
What’s next?
With the victories, FURIA and Aurora moved into the 1-0 pool of Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026. B8 and Monte, meanwhile, dropped to the 0-1 bracket and will need a response in the next round to avoid falling behind in the Swiss stage.
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.
