SkinLords CS2 Esports IEM Cologne CS2 Major Stage 1: Best Players, Teams, and Moments

IEM Cologne CS2 Major Stage 1: Best Players, Teams, and Moments

The opening stage of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 is well and truly in the books, and there was no shortage of action from the very first day of play up until the final fights in the potential Stage 2 advancement matches.

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While some results went as expected, the magic of the Major led to a number of unprecedented upsets and a few of the best matches in recent CS history. Without further ado, here’s everything that went down in Stage 1 of the IEM Cologne Major 2026.

Counter-Strike Major Champion Boombl4 Is Back

Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov is best known for his time as the in-game leader of Natus Vincere during their first-ever Major-winning campaign back in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. After a long period out of the main spotlight, he’s since returned and even led BetBoom to their second Major appearance.

Boombl4 dropped an impressive 1.48 rating on HLTV across four maps as BetBoom got past Gaimin Gladiators, Liquid, and GamerLegion for a perfect 3-0 run and a guaranteed spot in Stage 2 of the Cologne Major.

Liquid and HEROIC Crash Out of the IEM Cologne Major

Two of the highest-ranked teams and the most successful teams at Counter-Strike Majors, Liquid and HEROIC, both failed to make it out of Stage 1 in Cologne. After both falling to 1-2 records, the two teams faced each other in an elimination matchup where HEROIC was sent packing, and Liquid fought another day.

Liquid and HEROIC Crash Out of the Major

In the final matchday of Stage 1, Liquid had absolutely no answer to anything FlyQuest threw at them as the #81 team in the world, led by Joshua “INS” Potter, sent one of the Pick’Em favorites straight to the airport.

BIG’s Impossible Comeback

When you’re down 0-12 in a game of Counter-Strike, 99.9% of the time it’s truly wrapped. The remaining 00.1% is reserved for what BIG accomplished at the expense of NRG. With the 2-2 series tied at one map apiece, it all came down to a decider on Mirage for the last Stage 2 spot.

NRG won every single round on their CT-side half and only needed to secure one more as the Terrorists to clinch victory and a place in Stage 2. They lost the next 16 in a row.

BIG mounted the greatest single-map comeback in Major history and became the first team ever to overcome a 12-0 deficit at a CS Major. They forced overtime and won all four rounds to keep their Cologne Major dreams alive with one of the most incredible recovery runs you’ll ever see.