End of an Era: FaZe Clan Miss First CS2 Major in Org's History
April 5th felt like a fever dream for FaZe Clan fans, as the team failed to qualify for the upcoming IEM Cologne Major in June after a tough, all-or-nothing loss against BIG Clan. After 11 years since entering Counter-Strike, FaZe Clan has missed their first Major tournament.
Last-Minute Push
FaZe Clan had been on the chopping block for over a week, as the team didn’t have enough VRS points to punch a ticket to the IEM Cologne Major. As a result FaZe had to collect more points before the cutoff on April 6, leading them to play in smaller tournaments like DraculaN Season 6.
A $15,000 tournament, DraculaN is peanuts compared to the stakes FaZe usually plays for. Despite playing against weaker teams, the team somehow dropped the ball and lost to the likes of Passion UA and Fnatic to bow out in 9th-12th place. This left FaZe without enough VRS points to secure even a Stage 1 Major invite, forcing them to make a last-minute decision to attend HLC Belgrade 2026 for one last shot. They’d have to win the entire event to secure their spot in Cologne.
Things were looking hopeful, as FaZe Clan swept all competition and made it to the grand final of the event – one win from guaranteeing their spot at the Major. Their final roadblock was BIG Clan, a team that attended the event for the same purpose. However, the German squad had already secured enough points after winning their semi-final match.
The two teams faced off in the grand final, with FaZe desperately needing the win. BIG Clan had much less to play for and were just looking to deny them.
A Reverse Sweep to Forget
Karrigan and company started the series strong with a dominant victory on Dust 2, blowing BIG Clan out with a 13-3 win. All FaZe had to do was win one more map to qualify for the Major, and they had two chances to complete the mission. Despite starting the second map with a 5-1 lead, FaZe collapsed, dropping Overpass after a close 11-13 loss. This forced the series into a decider on Anubis – a map FaZe had a 0% win rate on in the past three months.
This time, the stats didn’t lie, as FaZe Clan lost the map 3-13 despite winning the first pistol round. A total disaster.
Frozen has been the only player putting up consistent numbers. (Image via StarLadder)
What’s Next for FaZe?
FaZe Clan went from making the grand final of the previous Major to not qualifying for the next one at all. It really feels like their plot armor has run out. It’s safe to say they’ve had a horrendous year so far. FaZe attended four S-tier events in 2026 and failed to make a single playoff appearance. Instead, they exited two events in dead last. The only player who has been putting up consistent numbers is the team’s star rifler, frozen, one of the best CS2 players in the world. The rest of the team has been in the red.
Just weeks back, the team parted ways with their long-time coach NEO, but it really feels like more changes need to be made. However, if they want to retain whatever VRS points they have left, they’ll have to maintain at least 3 out of 5 players. Otherwise, they’d have to go through open qualifier hell to attend any notable events.
This is certainly a new low for the FaZe Clan organization, but if there’s one team we can count on bouncing back – it’s them.
Cover Image via StarLadder
Owen lives for competition, spending most of his gaming hours on Dota 2, CS2, and Valorant. A regular on the SEA Dota 2 leaderboards, he combines his first-hand experience with a deep passion for esports journalism, following the professional scenes of all three esports betting titles religiously. When he’s not writing, he’s most probably betting on esports and watching the latest events.
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