Team Spirit will continue their IEM Cologne Major 2026 campaign without head coach Sergey “hally” Shavaev. According to HLTV, the Russian coach will miss the entire playoff stage because of health issues. He already missed Stages 2 and 3 of the Major.
hally continues to support the team remotely
Although hally cannot travel to Germany, he remains involved in the team’s preparation. He continues to work remotely alongside Dmitry “S0tF1k” Forostyanko. S0tF1k also cannot attend the event due to visa problems.
Spirit recently restructured its coaching staff. Since then, the two coaches have shared responsibilities. Brand Director Konstantin Machaidze explained that S0tF1k focuses on tactics, mechanics, grenade setups, and other in-game details. Meanwhile, hally provides support and helps with preparation from afar.
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Spirit remain undefeated at the Major
Even without their head coach on stage, Spirit have dominated the tournament. The team finished both Stage 2 and Stage 3 with perfect 3-0 records. Those results have made Spirit one of the favorites to win the title.
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets has led the team throughout the Major. The young superstar has posted an incredible 1.71 rating so far. His performances have made him one of the standout players of the tournament.
Tough side of the bracket awaits
Spirit still do not know their quarterfinal opponent. However, they already know they will share the same side of the bracket with Vitality and Falcons. The two teams will face each other in the opening playoff round. As a result, Spirit could meet one of the tournament favorites later in the playoffs.
Missing hally on stage is not an ideal situation. However, Spirit’s results in Cologne show that the team remains a serious contender for the IEM Cologne Major 2026 trophy.
Community reaction
The community reacted to the news with plenty of jokes rather than concern. Many fans credited assistant coach Ivan “JabbiCh” Babich for Spirit’s undefeated run and turned him into one of the tournament’s biggest memes. Comments like:
- “Who needs hally when Spirit has the man, the myth himself JAB JABICH!!!”
- “jab jabich supremacy”
- “Jab with 100% major WR incoming”
quickly gained traction on HLTV, while others confidently predicted another Major title for Spirit. Amid the memes, some fans also wished hally a speedy recovery. One of the top comments read:
Best possible news for Spirit (I hope hally gets better soon tho)
Overall, the community remains confident that Spirit are still among the favorites to win IEM Cologne Major 2026.
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Can Spirit Win Without hally?
Despite hally’s continued absence from the stage, Spirit have shown no signs of slowing down at the IEM Cologne Major 2026. The team enters the playoffs with a perfect 6-0 record across Stages 2 and 3, while Danil “donk” Kryshkovets continues to deliver superstar performances. With the trophy now within reach, Spirit will look to prove that even without their head coach present in Cologne, they have everything needed to fight for another Major title.
