IEM Cologne Major 2026 is reaching the finish line. In the Grand Final, Falcons and FURIA will face each other — two teams that have come through the toughest playoff path and will now fight for the tournament’s biggest trophy. The Bo5 format minimizes the impact of randomness, so the winner will be determined not only by the players’ individual form, but also by map pool depth, preparation quality, and the ability to adapt throughout the series.
IEM COLOGNE MAJOR 2026 PLAYOFFS — GRAND FINAL FORMAT SPECIFICS
The Grand Final is played in a Bo5 format, which significantly differs from all previous stages of the tournament. Teams must be ready to play almost the entire active map pool, and every weakness in the veto can become very costly over the course of the series.
Falcons come into the final as the team with the higher world ranking and the status of one of the tournament’s main favorites. At the same time, FURIA has become one of the biggest revelations of the playoffs and has already proven that it can beat top-level opponents.
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HEAD-TO-HEAD — A SLIGHT EDGE FOR FURIA HISTORICALLY, BUT NOT IN CURRENT FORM
Over the last few months, the teams have played many competitive maps. The overall head-to-head balance still favors FURIA — 12 wins to 10 over Falcons. However, the latest results point to major progress from the European roster. In March, Falcons defeated FURIA twice at BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 and also won their series at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026. Stylistically, this matchup looks very interesting. Falcons have more structure and discipline, while FURIA often rely on aggressive tempo and strong individual decisions.
CURRENT FORM
Falcons — the main title contender
Falcons come into the final after wins over Spirit, Vitality, Natus Vincere, and Monte. The team has won four of its last five matches and looks maximally stable throughout the tournament. The roster’s leader remains m0NESY. His 1.25 rating over the last three months is the best among all participants in the final. NiKo and TeSeS also make a huge contribution, providing consistency in rifle rounds.
An important advantage for Falcons remains the coaching staff led by zonic, who has enormous experience preparing for Major-level finals.
FURIA — the team’s best tournament in a long time
FURIA come into the match on a streak of five straight wins. On the road to the final, the team knocked out Aurora, 9z, BetBoom, MOUZ, and B8. The most consistent player remains KSCERATO. The Brazilian has a 1.18 rating and traditionally delivers a high level in playoff matches. The performances of molodoy and YEKINDAR will also matter greatly, as they are responsible for creating space on the attack.
If FURIA can impose an aggressive style and constantly pressure the opponent’s economy, the match could be much closer than the bookmakers expect.
MAP POOL & VETO
Statistics over the last 3 months (FURIA | Falcons):
- Dust2: 55% | 65%
- Mirage: 54% | 50%
- Inferno: 83% | 43%
- Nuke: 60% | 71%
- Overpass: 71% | —
- Ancient: — | 67%
- Anubis: — | 100%
Expected veto:
- FURIA will almost certainly ban Anubis, which is one of Falcons’ best maps and is practically never used by the Brazilians.
- Falcons are highly likely to remove Overpass — a map on which FURIA has a 71% win rate and significantly more experience.
Likely picks:
- FURIA: Inferno — the Brazilians’ strongest map with an 83% win rate.
- Falcons: Nuke or Dust2, where the team has shown stable results throughout the season.
Possible decider maps: Mirage, Ancient, or Dust2 look like the most realistic options for the deciding maps of the series.
KEY DUELS
- m0NESY vs KSCERATO — the main star duel of the final and the battle between the two most consistent players of the tournament
- NiKo vs YEKINDAR — the clash of aggressive rifle players for control of key zones on the map
- kyousuke vs molodoy — the battle of young talents capable of turning the course of individual maps
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PREDICTION
FURIA is having one of its best tournaments in recent years and fully deserves to have reached the Grand Final. The team has a strong Inferno, solid form from KSCERATO, and confidence after a playoff winning streak. However, Falcons look like the more balanced team. They have the deeper map pool, better statistics on most of the current maps, a more experienced staff, and the best player in the series in the form of m0NESY.
In the Bo5 format, Falcons’ depth and flexibility may become the decisive factors.
Predicted result: Falcons 3–1 FURIA
