IEM Cologne Grand Final: Team Falcons vs FURIA best betting predictions

Owen Harsono Published 20/06/2026

Coming into the IEM Cologne Major, nobody would have expected a grand final series between Team Falcons and FURIA, but here we are. Will NiKo finally win his first Major, or will FalleN win another one before retiring at the end of the year? Here are our IEM Cologne Major Grand Final predictions.

Team Falcons vs FURIA Match Preview

• Tournament: IEM Cologne Major 2026
• Stage: Grand Final
• Game: Counter-Strike 2
• Format: Best-of-five

Betting tip: Team Falcons took down the world’s #1, #2, and #3 teams to reach the Grand Final. They have already beaten the toughest opponents available, and FURIA should theoretically be an easier matchup.

Our Team Falcons vs FURIA pick: Team Falcons Match Winner @ 1.62 odds

Team Falcons vs FURIA Match Analysis

After 18 failed attempts, will the IEM Cologne Major finally be the one for NiKo, or will FURIA shatter his dreams once again?

Team Falcons have been extremely impressive at the Major. They had the hardest route to the Grand Final, and still pulled it off. They took down NAVI in the Swiss Stage to book their playoff spots, then beat the two best CS2 teams in the world – Team Vitality and Team Spirit – to reach the Grand Final.

We had our doubts about karrigan’s individual performance throughout the event, but we were proven wrong. He’s been making exceptional calls in the Quarter and Semi-Finals, and the rest of the team have been firing on all fronts. They have definitely earned their spot in the Grand Final.

Image via Stephanie Lindgren for ESL FACEIT Group

Looking to deny them the trophy are FURIA, who are undefeated at Cologne so far. The Brazilian squad went 3-0 in the Swiss Stage and breezed past the playoffs, but it’s fair to say they had the easier side of the bracket.

FURIA took on 9z Team and Aurora on their road to the Grand Final, both of which were smaller roadblocks compared to what Team Falcons had to fight through. Still, FURIA made light work of their opponents and certainly have a shot at winning the Major.

Image via Stephanie Lindgren for ESL FACEIT Group

Team Falcons vs FURIA Betting Odds Snapshot

Counter-Strike 2 betting odds via GG.BET.

Team Falcons vs FURIA Betting Picks and Predictions

The best esports betting sites label Team Falcons as the favorites, and we completely agree. We feel like the MENA-backed squad has already done the hard work by taking down the opponents they have faced earlier.

We’re also worried that FURIA’s star AWPer molodoy might crack under the pressure. This will be his first Major Grand Final, and there’s always a chance the stakes get to him. His counterpart m0NESY is far more experienced and has even won on the IEM Cologne stage before.

Not only do we think that Falcons are the better team on paper, but they also enter this matchup with a severe veto advantage:

• Team Falcons’ perma-ban is Overpass, which is one of FURIA’s most comfortable maps.
• FURIA have avoided playing Anubis and Ancient, which are two very strong maps for Team Falcons. In this Best-of-five series, FURIA can only ban one.

All of the reasons mentioned above lead us to very confidently pick Team Falcons to win. If they lose this series, that just means the Counter-Strike Gods never want NiKo to win a Major.

Team Falcons vs FURIA Predictions

• Team Falcons Match Winner @ 1.62 odds

Image Credit: Stephanie Lindgren for ESL FACEIT Group

Owen Harsono

About Owen Harsono

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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