The MongolZ landed in Ulaanbaatar on June 22 evening for an official homecoming reception. Mongolian president Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh personally greeted the roster on the tarmac at Chinggis Khaan International Airport, followed by a public celebration at Sukhbaatar Square attended by an estimated 40,000 fans.
The airport reception
President Khurelsukh, alongside the Minister of Sports and Youth, welcomed bLitz, Senzu, mzinho, blitz, and Techno as they stepped off the plane carrying the IEM Cologne Major trophy. The roster was presented with national-recognition decorations on the tarmac. State broadcaster MNB aired live coverage from 18:00 local time.
Sukhbaatar Square celebration
The public celebration at Sukhbaatar Square drew an estimated 40,000 attendees — the largest sports-related public gathering in Ulaanbaatar in 2026, surpassing the 32,000 for Mongolia's wrestling team return from Olympics 2024. The Major trophy was paraded through central streets between the airport route and the square, with thousands of supporters lining the road.
Player statements
bLitz (Stage 3 MVP): "This is for everyone in Mongolia who supported us. We never imagined the country would receive us like this. We did our best at Cologne — now we want to defend this."
Senzu (Grand Final 1v3 clutch hero): "That clutch was for every Mongolian kid who plays CS at midnight. We showed the world Asia belongs at the top."
mzinho: "We are still processing. Coming home and seeing Sukhbaatar Square full was beyond what we imagined."
Government recognition
President Khurelsukh announced state-honoured recognition for the five players — Mongolia's third-highest civilian award — to be conferred at a ceremony in the State Palace on June 30. The President's office also announced a Mongolian Cybersport Development Initiative with budget allocation for grassroots CS2 infrastructure in Ulaanbaatar and Darkhan, citing The MongolZ's win as the inflection point for Mongolian esports investment.
Community response
The Mongolian Twitter/X community hashtag #MongolZChampions trended globally for 14 hours after the June 21 Grand Final close. Total impressions on the hashtag: 230M. Discord communities in CIS, EU, and SEA regions hosted spontaneous bLitz-clutch-replay watch parties across the weekend.
