The elimination matches in the 1-2 pool of Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026 determined two more teams that will continue their campaign and two that saw their Major dreams come to an end. The MongolZ defeated Monte in a hard-fought three-map series, while FUT eliminated MOUZ after another closely contested battle.
Teams’ path through Stage 3
The MongolZ entered Stage 3 with a loss to BetBoom but recovered by beating B8. After falling to NAVI in the 1-1 pool, they dropped into the elimination bracket, where they kept their campaign alive with a victory over Monte.
Monte suffered defeats to Aurora and Falcons but managed to eliminate Parivision before ultimately falling to The MongolZ and ending their Major journey.
FUT opened Stage 3 with a loss to Vitality and G2 before defeating B8 to reach the 1-2 pool.
MOUZ, meanwhile, lost to FURIA and Vitality, defeated Legacy to stay alive, but their campaign came to an end against FUT.
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The MongolZ outlast Monte to survive
Monte started the series strongly on their own pick of Nuke, taking a 13-9 victory and putting themselves one map away from survival. However, The MongolZ responded immediately on Inferno. Led by their aggressive T side, the Asian squad controlled the map from start to finish and equalized the series with a convincing 13-7 scoreline.
The decider on Dust2 proved to be the closest map of the series. Despite another strong showing from Aurélien “afro” Drapier, The MongolZ delivered when it mattered most and secured a 13-11 victory to complete the reverse sweep and stay alive in the tournament.
Afro shines despite Monte elimination
Although Monte were eliminated, afro was the standout player of the series. The French AWPer finished with a 54-41 K-D and a 1.14 rating, narrowly edging out The MongolZ trio of Anarbileg “cobrazera” Uuganbayar (1.14), Usukhbayar “910” Banzragch (1.13), and Ayush “mzinho” Batbold (1.12).
The victory improved The MongolZ’s record to 2-2, while Monte finished their Major run with a 1-3 record.
FUT eliminate MOUZ in another three-map battle
The second elimination series also went the distance. FUT opened the match with a 13-11 victory on Ancient, but MOUZ answered on Nuke, winning 13-10 and forcing a decider. Mirage became the deciding battleground, and the Turkish organization proved stronger under pressure. FUT dominated the map and closed it out 13-7 to secure a 2-1 victory and send MOUZ out of the tournament.
dziugss leads FUT to victory
Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius was the star of the series against MOUZ. The Lithuanian rifler posted a 52-39 K-D and a 1.33 rating to finish as the highest-rated player of the match. Laurentiu “lauNX” Țârlea also delivered a solid performance with a 1.08 rating, while Ádám “torzsi” Torzsás led MOUZ with a 1.07 rating in defeat.
VRS implications
The MongolZ gained 17 VRS points and strengthened their position inside the top ten, climbing to ninth place. Monte lost 10 points and dropped from 18th to 19th.
FUT received a significant boost of 37 points and climbed to eighth place in the standings, while MOUZ lost 20 points but remained fifth overall.
Team reactions
The MongolZ celebrated their victory with a simple message:
2-2. GG @Monte_Esports
Monte thanked fans after their elimination, writing:
This marks the end of our journey at the Major. Thank you for your support!
FUT celebrated the victory over MOUZ with a playful post:
BYE BYE @mousesports
MOUZ reacted emotionally to their exit, saying:
It hurts more than words can describe to fall short of playing in the Cathedral of Counter-Strike.
What’s next?
The MongolZ and FUT advanced to the 2-2 pool, where one final victory will be enough to secure a place in the playoffs. Monte and MOUZ, meanwhile, became the latest teams to be eliminated from IEM Cologne Major 2026, ending their campaigns one step short of the knockout stage.
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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.
