Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 opened on June 6 with the tournament's Tier-1 giants finally stepping onto the stage. Sixteen teams — the eight Stage 1 survivors plus eight direct invitees — began another Swiss format run.
Team Spirit's Statement
The most dominant result of Day 1 came from Team Spirit, who crushed MIBR 13-1 in a jaw-dropping display. donk was in vintage form, dominating duels and stealing initiative on every T-side push. The Brazilians simply had no answer.
G2's Overtime Struggle
G2 Esports had a much harder time. After starting the day with a dominant win over M80, G2 were pushed to the limit by Monte in a marathon overtime that ended 22-19 in G2's favor. HeavyGod and huNter- both stepped up in the extra rounds to eventually secure the win.
Other Day 1 Results
Every Day 1 match was a best-of-one under the Swiss format:
- Vitality started their Major run with a comfortable win
- Falcons played their opener — karrigan's first official Cologne map as Falcons IGL
- Aurora, Natus Vincere, The MongolZ, and PARIVISION all got underway
Format Reminder
Once again, three wins secure Stage 3 qualification, three losses mean elimination. But now the competition level was significantly higher. Any 3-0 sweep from this stage would be a genuine statement.
Sticker Market
Spirit's dominant performance helped donk's autograph stickers stay near their peak trading value, while Vitality (Holo) and Falcons (Holo) remained the two most-purchased team items overall as favorites entered the tournament.
