Today, June 15, the fifth and final playday of IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage 3 will take place. After four days of competition, the Swiss bracket has reached its decisive stage — the 2–2 group, where teams have received their last chance to break through to the Playoffs.
All of today’s matches carry maximum weight: a win means qualification to the Playoffs with a 3–2 record, while a loss ends a team’s run in the tournament with a 2–3 finish. By the end of the day, the final playoff participants will be determined, as well as the final list of teams whose Major run in Cologne will end specifically at Stage 3.
Schedule for the day
The fifth day of Stage 3 is fully dedicated to the 2–2 group matches. Teams no longer have any room for error — every series will become a decisive survival match and the final chance to reach the playoffs. All matches will be played in the Best of 3 (LAN) format, where stability, adaptation, and psychological readiness for pressure will play the key role.
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Matches for qualification to the Playoffs (Best of 3 / LAN)
15:30 CET: 9z vs The MongolZ
17:30 CET: BetBoom vs FUT
20:00 CET: Natus Vincere vs G2
Today, every match is effectively a final for both teams. The winners will finish Stage 3 with a 3–2 record and secure a place in the Playoffs, while the losers will end their run at IEM Cologne Major 2026 with a 2–3 result.
Live broadcast
The fifth day of IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage 3 will be the final test for the teams still fighting for the playoffs. If the previous days still left room to correct mistakes, now every map can become the last one of the tournament.
All matches are played in the Best of 3 (LAN) format, which minimizes randomness and makes individual form, map pool depth, and the ability to adapt the decisive factors of success.
We will update the article throughout the day: match results, the final Swiss bracket, the list of the final Playoff participants, and the teams that have ended their run at the tournament.
Interim and final results
After four days of Stage 3, the Swiss bracket has reached its final resolution. Today, the final teams that will advance to the Playoffs with a 3–2 record will be determined, and the full list of participants who will end their run with a 2–3 result will also be finalized.
After the matches are completed, the results and the current standings of the teams will be updated here:
2–2 group matches (Best of 3 / LAN)
- 9z vs The MongolZ — 2:0
- BetBoom vs FUT — 2:0
- Natus Vincere vs G2 — 1:2
Current Playoffs status
- Already qualified for the Playoffs: FURIA, The MongolZ, Aurora, Falcons, Spirit, Vitality, 9z, BetBoom, G2
- Eliminated: PARIVISION, B8, Legacy, MOUZ, Monte, The MongolZ, FUT, Natus Vincere
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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.
