The opening round of Stage 2 at IEM Cologne Major 2026 continued with two BO1 matches featuring teams that had survived difficult runs through Stage 1. FUT edged out B8 in a tightly contested game on Ancient, while TYLOO extended their remarkable momentum with a victory over paiN on Mirage.
FUT narrowly defeat B8 in a close battle
The match between FUT and B8 proved to be one of the most competitive games of the opening round. Ancient remained after the veto, and both sides traded rounds throughout the map before FUT managed to pull away late and secure a 13-11 victory.
Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko led the Turkish side with a 1.35 rating, while dziugss and cmtry also played important roles. For B8, Dmytro “esenthial” Tsvir delivered another excellent individual performance, finishing with a 1.42 rating and an impressive 111.1 ADR, but his efforts were not enough to prevent defeat.
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Strong start for FUT
The result marked another positive chapter for FUT, who had already shown solid form during the previous months. The victory also improved their VRS standing, lifting the team to 11th place. B8, meanwhile, slipped to 17th after suffering their opening loss in Stage 2.
Team reactions
FUT celebrated the victory on their official X account with a simple message:
FIRST WIN
The organization also shared a graphic featuring the 13-11 scoreline. B8 acknowledged the loss with a defeat graphic and immediately turned their attention toward the next round, where they would fight to avoid falling to 0-2.
TYLOO continue their miracle run
After completing a stunning comeback from 0-2 in Stage 1 to qualify for Stage 2, TYLOO showed no signs of slowing down. The Chinese squad defeated paiN 13-9 on Mirage to begin the next phase with a victory.
Dongkai “Jee” Ji was the standout player of the match, posting a 1.35 rating. Su “Zero” Jingshen also had a strong game with a 1.13 rating, while TYLOO once again demonstrated the confidence and aggressive style that had fueled their recovery in Stage 1.
For paiN, Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt was the team’s highest-rated player, but the Brazilians were unable to find enough consistency to stop TYLOO’s momentum.
TYLOO keep surprising everyone
The victory moved TYLOO to a 1-0 record and further strengthened one of the most remarkable stories of the tournament. Thanks to the result, the Chinese side climbed to 23rd in the VRS rankings, while paiN dropped to 20th.
With four consecutive victories dating back to Stage 1, TYLOO have quickly transformed from an 0-2 team fighting for survival into one of the biggest surprises of the Major.
Team reactions
TYLOO celebrated the victory on their official X account, posting:
TYLOO 13:9 paiN
The organization also shared a victory graphic featuring Jee after securing their first Stage 2 win. paiN admitted that the team had endured a difficult start and wrote:
Tough debut and we’ll have to go for the 1-1 today. We’ll be back as soon as we know our next matchup.
Despite the defeat, the Brazilians emphasized that their Cologne campaign was far from over and that they would have another chance to recover later 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.
