IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Playoffs Pick'Em Predictions

Owen Harsono Last updated 08/06/2026

It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions.

The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it to the next stage. The chase is of course the coveted Diamond Coin, which fewer than 1% of players manage to achieve at each Major.

Here is everything you need to know about the IEM Cologne Major Pick’Em Challenge, from how the event works to the best picks.

Best picks for the IEM Cologne Major Pick’Em Challenge

If you’re unsure of which teams to back in your road to the Diamond Coin, here are my best picks for the IEM Cologne Major Pick’Em Challenge.

DISCLAIMER: It’s very rare for fans to get the Diamond Coin. I’ve been watching Counter-Strike esports for a decade, but even that is not enough to guarantee my predictions!

Playoffs Pick’ems

Unfortunately, we got completely destroyed in Stage 3, only getting 3/10 picks correct – but to be fair, there were tons of surprises and upsets. The main issue was our 3-0 picks, with Vitality losing to 9z, and NAVI getting eliminated entirely. This meant our FURIA and Team Spirit advancement predictions were completely wrong since these two ended up finishing 3-0.

The Diamond Coin dream is dead, but we can still aim for the gold coin with the playoffs. Here are my Pick’Em predictions for the playoffs of the IEM Cologne Major:

IEM Cologne Playoffs Pick’Ems

Quarterfinal picks:

• The first matchup is pretty straightforward. 9z have shown they aren’t a bunch of pushovers, but this is the first time they’ve made it to a Major quarterfinal. I feel like the pressure will get to them, and FURIA should still win this matchup on paper.
• The match between Aurora and BB Team is going to be very interesting. The Russian squad battled all the way from Stage 1 to the playoffs, but this is where their run ends. Aurora are in good form and have way more experience than BetBoom.
• Next up is Team Spirit taking on G2 Esports. G2 eliminated NAVI to secure their spot in the playoffs, which was very impressive. However, Team Spirit look much better and should take this series very comfortably.
• The final quarterfinal matchup is an absolute banger, with Team Vitality taking on Team Falcons. The Falcons have a pretty solid record against Vitality this year, but they have not looked too good at this Major. I’m fairly confident Vitality will get the job done.

Semi-Final picks:

• If my predictions go right, FURIA will take on Aurora in the semi-final. Again, this should be a comfortable win for FURIA. They have the easier bracket this time around, and a free path to the final. If they don’t make use of this – they don’t deserve to win the Major.
• The real highlight would be Team Vitality taking on Team Spirit – clearly the top two teams at the Major right now. However, news just dropped that Spirit will play without a coach – this is going to be a huge disadvantage. Vitality also have a good record against Spirit, and I think ZywOo and co. will stop them.

Grand Final pick:

• Either Team Spirit or Team Vitality should win against FURIA eight out of ten times. The winner of that semi-final series should win the entire Major. So, I’m riding Vitality for this event and have them winning their third Major in a row.

Stage 3 Pick’ems

Our Pick’Ems remain extremely healthy – we passed Stage 2 with flying colors. We got 7/10 picks correct, meaning we’re still in the running for the Diamond Coin. This Stage was a breeze, and hopefully we can carry the momentum into Stage 3, where all the big dogs will show up.

If you want to follow my Diamond Coin formula, here are my Pick’Em predictions for Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major:

IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 Pick’Ems

Here are my reasons behind these picks:

• Team Vitality are clearly the massive favorites coming into this event, and their first matchup is against FUT Esports – one they should comfortably win. This sets them up for the easy 3-0 Swiss Stage run we’re expecting, so no surprises here.
• The second 3-0 pick was tough, as I was torn between Team Spirit and NAVI. The thing is, they’re facing each other in the opening round. So, the winner will probably end up being the second candidate for a clean Swiss Stage run. Team Spirit destroyed the competition in Stage 2, but that also gives NAVI extra material to analyze. Majors always have upsets, and I think NAVI beating Spirit could be one of them.
• Team Spirit, FURIA, and Team Falcons are pretty obvious choices to advance here – they’ve been part of the top five for almost the entire year, making them easy picks. I’m just scared one of them plays too well and finishes 3-0.
• Moving on, I have MOUZ and Aurora Gaming to advance as well. These two teams have always had an easy time navigating through Swiss and Group Stages, and it’s pretty normal to expect them making playoffs.
• The final advancing slot was a tough call – it was between G2 Esports, The MongolZ and FUT. I’ve decided to go with FUT. Losing to Vitality in the first round could mean they draw easier matchups after, and they played very well in Stage 2. I just feel like G2 and The MongolZ haven’t shown us enough this year to cement themselves as a top eight team.
• B8 helped us through the first two Stages of the Major, giving us two points. But unfortunately, we’ll have to do them dirty here. I have B8 and Monte as my 0-3 picks. They barely survived Stage 2, and all matches in Stage 3 are now played in a Best of 3 format. They should lose to every other team here.

Stage 2 Pick’ems

We ended with 5/10 correct picks on Stage 1, meaning we’re still well in the running for the Diamond Coin! It ended up being a close call because one of our 3-0 picks went 3-1, and one of our advancing picks went 3-0. That really messed up the flow, but we still got the job done – most of the community has even failed at this point.

If you’re willing to put your trust in me, here are my predictions for Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major:

IEM Cologne Major Stage 2 Pick’Ems

Now, let’s go over my thought process and reasoning behind these picks.

• I’m pretty sure everyone has Team Spirit as their 3-0 pick, and it’s pretty hard to disagree. Spirit rarely drop matches against lower-ranked teams, simply because they have some of the strongest firepower in the world. They shouldn’t even be in Stage 2, so they should wipe the floor with all of the teams here.
• The second 3-0 pick was a bit tough, because we have some very decent teams, but none of them are too consistent. I’ve gone with FUT instead, as they’ve been a strong group stage team throughout the year.
• My advancing teams shouldn’t be much of a surprise. G2, Astralis, and Legacy are all very solid teams that have proven themselves throughout the year. I’m confident they’ll make it through, but the question is whether any of them will go 3-0 and ruin the picks.
• From the pool of Stage 1 survivors, it’s clear GamerLegion, B8, and BetBoom Team have what it takes to continue to Stage 3. They’ve made playoff runs at big events, so making the Top 16 shouldn’t be too tall of a task.
• I really like BetBoom Team’s chances, but their first match is against Team Spirit already, so I won’t put them 3-0.
• Unfortunately, we’ll continue placing Asian teams in the 0-3 pool. I put FlyQuest 0-3 earlier, and placing Australian teams down here is never a good idea – but they didn’t beat any good teams in Stage 1, so I have them going winless again.
• As much as I like TYLOO, their performance hasn’t really inspired much confidence. Similar to FlyQuest, they didn’t really take down strong teams to get here.

Stage 1 Pick’ems

Here are my predictions for Stage 1 of the IEM Cologne Major:

IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 Pick’Em Predictions (Image credit: Valve)

Now, let’s go over my thought process and reasoning behind these picks:

• GamerLegion are hands-down the best team in this stage. They can hang with the best CS2 teams in the world, so they should have an easy time sweeping the competition here. They are my first 3-0 pick.
• The second 3-0 pick was a tough choice, but I’ve gone with B8. They’ve always been a solid team and have proven themselves at IEM Atlanta 2026, where they placed top eight.
• Of the advancing teams I’ve selected, I’m fairly confident in HEROIC, BetBoom Team, MIBR, and M80. These guys have had strong showings at recent S-tier events and should comfortably make it out of this stage.
• Team Liquid and BIG are question marks. On paper, they’re much better than the remaining teams in this stage, but we never know what can happen. Still, they have experienced players on both sides, and that alone should carry them to the next stage.
• Unfortunately, I’ll pick Gaimin Gladiators and FlyQuest as the two teams going out 0-3. These lineups just don’t inspire too much confidence in me, and sorry to say – I see them getting blown out of the event.

Read also: Full List of IEM Cologne 2026 Major Invited Teams

How does the Cologne Major Pick’Em Challenge work?

The Pick’Em Challenge is pretty simple. It’s a limited-time event that comes with every Valve Major tournament, meaning twice a year. Here, fans can predict which teams will perform well at the Major.

There are four stages in each Major event, which are Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and the Playoffs.

• During the first three stages, teams compete in a 16-team Swiss stage. The goal in the Pick’Em is to predict which teams will advance with a 3-0 record, which teams will qualify normally, and which two teams will go out with a 0-3 record.
• In the playoffs, you have to predict the correct match outcomes before the quarterfinals even begin. This means you also have to choose which team will win the entire event.

Getting five correct picks in a stage will upgrade your coin to the next level. There are four levels:

1. Bronze Coin
2. Silver Coin
3. Gold Coin
4. Diamond Coin

This means, to achieve the Diamond Coin, you need to get at least five correct picks in every stage. Getting the Diamond Coin is incredibly rare – just look at the numbers:

So, less than 1% of fans have consistently gotten the Diamond Coin, making it extremely rare. If you do get it, however, the coin will stay in your inventory for the rest of your life.

IEM Cologne Major Pass (Image credit: Valve)

How to play the Cologne 2026 Major Pick’Em Challenge

You can make your picks for the IEM Cologne Major Pick’Em Challenge for free through the in-game CS2 client. Here’s how:

1. Launch Counter-Strike 2
2. In the main menu, look for “Major Championship Hub & Items”
3. There, you will see the Pick’Em Challenge
4. Select the correct stage and drag teams to make your picks

If you want to upgrade your coin, you will have to purchase and activate a Cologne 2026 Viewer Pass, which costs $9.99 USD.

Featured image credit: Valve

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.

View full profile

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