Team Spirit claimed the IEM Cologne 2025 title with a dominant 3-0 victory over MOUZ in the grand final, showcasing their commanding form throughout the tournament. Donk was once again the standout player of the series, while MOUZ impressed with their win over Vitality and solid run to the final. Shortly after the match, ESL announced that Cologne will host the first CS2 Major of 2026, set to take place from June 8 to June 21.
Road to the Final
Team Spirit kicked off their IEM Cologne 2025 campaign with three confident victories — against HEROIC, Aurora, and MOUZ — securing a direct spot in the semifinals. There, they faced NAVI and, despite a strong showing from iM, Spirit came out on top with a 2-1 scoreline and advanced to the grand final for a rematch against MOUZ.
MOUZ turned out to be the tournament’s biggest surprise. They ended Vitality’s incredible 37-match winning streak across BO3 and BO5 formats. Just when it seemed that Vitality’s dominance would never end, MOUZ stepped up and stopped the giants, earning themselves a shot at redemption in the grand final against Spirit.
Clash in the Grand Final
The IEM Cologne 2025 grand final was played in a BO5 format — a grueling challenge for both players and fans, especially when all five maps come into play. However, this time, the match was one-sided.
The series began on Mirage, where Spirit immediately set an aggressive pace and finished the first half 10:2. In the second half, MOUZ couldn’t find an answer — 13:7 in favor of Spirit.
Ancient started similarly, with Spirit taking the first four rounds, but MOUZ responded with eight consecutive rounds to build an 8:4 lead, eventually leading 11:5 at halftime. However, they completely lost control in the second half, allowing Spirit to stage a comeback and steal the map 13:11.
The third and final map, Nuke, was fully under Spirit’s control. With confident and assertive gameplay, they closed it out 13:6, securing a 3-0 series win and the IEM Cologne 2025 championship title. Team newcomer zweih finished the series with a 39/38 K/D and a 1.04 rating — a solid debut performance in a grand final.
Best Player of the Match
Once again, donk earned MVP honors with an outstanding performance: a 62/41 K/D, 99.8 ADR, and a 1.53 rating. His consistency throughout the tournament was a major factor in Spirit’s success, helping lead the team to lift the trophy after a crushing win over MOUZ.
Tournament Recap and Well-Deserved Rewards for the Finalists
Team Spirit become the IEM Cologne 2025 champions, securing a convincing win in the final and taking home $400,000 in prize money for the players, along with $60,000 for the organization. This marks another dominant showing in 2025 and a well-earned triumph after a solid tournament run.
MOUZ finished in second place and earned a respectable reward — $180,000 for the players and $36,000 for the organization. Despite falling short in the final, they showed resilience, eliminated the previously unbeaten Vitality, and proved themselves as a rising force in the scene. Their performance is a story of progress, determination, and a bright future ahead.
Cologne to host the first Major of 2026
Right after the grand final, ESL announced that Cologne will host the first CS2 Major of 2026. The tournament is scheduled to take place from June 8 to June 21.
The Cathedral of @CounterStrike has been blessed. 🕯️
The #IEM Cologne 2026 Major. pic.twitter.com/tP9kUlNMvz
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) August 3, 2025
The German city previously hosted Majors in 2014, 2015, and 2016, and now returns to the spotlight nearly a decade later. This will also be the first ESL-hosted Major since IEM Rio 2022 — a long-awaited comeback for many fans.
