IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage 3 Day 3 Recap

The third day of the IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 has given us the first teams who will be going into the playoffs, as well as teams who will be heading to the airport. Upsets were the highlights of the day. The teams many predicted to go 3-0 underperformed at scale, leading to ruined pickems and shaky situations.

As it stands

Highlights of the day

FUT survive at the cost of B8

B8 became the first team to get eliminated from Stage 3, having failed to secure a single win. Despite winning the first map, B8 failed to convert back-to-back maps, leading to FUT edging out a close win, which lets them live to fight for another day. A tough contest in back-to-back maps saw FUT survive just by the skin of their teeth, with the next loss looming over their head that would see them get eliminated.

NAVI win their second match against MongolZ

With the second reverse sweep of the day, NAVI secured their second win, putting them in the 2-1 bracket, which not only gives them a cushion but also puts them a win away from the playoffs. After losing the first map, NAVI dragged the second map to OT, where they managed to level the scoreline before a dominant start on defence on Mirage put the game to bed as MongolZ fell to the 1-2 bracket.

Aurora knocks down G2

Having lost against the Falcons and Aurora, G2’s fate in the tournament remains only as good as their next game. A disappointing performance by G2, mainly on their defence, saw Aurora pick them apart and build a foundation on both maps, closing out the game with a quick 2-0.

Falcons save face against Monte

A solid start on Inferno saw Falcons drop the ball on the offence, which saw Monte almost make a comeback before Falcons pushed the map over the line. The second map once again highlights the Falcons’ ability to close out games as Monte secured a 13-11 win to push the game to the final map, where a NiKo masterclass saw his side get pushed to the 2-1 bracket with a 13-10 win.

Vitality survives MOUZ scare

Opening the game with both teams going toe to toe, MOUZ managed to push Vitality to their very limit right from the get-go, only for their poorly played defence to prevent them from securing an early lead. Moving to the second map, MOUZ held on to the levelled scoreline only for their stellar offence to push the game to the final map of the day. With MOUZ cutting it close on the last two maps, Vitality brought their A game to the final map as they dominated through the entirety of Inferno to close the door on MOUZ, securing their 2nd win of the Major.

Legacy eliminates PARIVISION

Winning a trophy at the start of the season turned PARIVISION into a dark horse, a status that they failed to keep up with for the rest of the year, and now they will be heading home from the Major having lost 3 games in a row. Two back-to-back maps of overtime saw both teams fight neck and neck, only for Legacy to pull ahead in overtime with what can only be dubbed a display of sheer grit.

FURIA reach the playoffs over BetBoom

Becoming the first team to reach the playoffs, FURIA brushed aside a tricky BetBoom side who pulled off two shocking wins coming into this match-up. Going as expected, FURIA remained dominant across two maps as BetBoom failed to even make a case for themselves, which put a stop to their playoff dreams as the Brazilians cruised past with back-to-back 13-6 wins.

Spirit survive 9Z to reach playoffs

Spirit, having survived back-to-back close maps, survive the match that could easily have gone either way to qualify for the playoffs. Following a devastating lapse in the first map, Spirit manage to outlast 9Z in back-to-back maps to book their spot in the playoffs of IEM Cologne.

Day 3 Matches