The IEM Cologne Major 2026will not feature any best-of-one (BO1) matches in Stage 3. ESL confirmed that all matches in the third stage of the upcoming Major will be played in a best-of-three (BO3) format. This marks a significant shift in how the most prestigious event on the CS2 calendar handles its later rounds.
What Is Changing at the IEM Cologne Major?
Stage 3 of the IEM Cologne Major will now use BO3 matches exclusively. Previously, the stage included a mix of BO1 and BO3 series, with BO1s typically used in the opening rounds of the Swiss format before switching to BO3s for elimination and advancement matches.
With this update, every single match in Stage 3 will be a BO3 series from start to finish.
It is worth noting that Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the Major are expected to continue using BO1 matches as before. The format change applies only to Stage 3.
Today, we're announcing a significant expansion to the #IEM Cologne Major 2026 format.
— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) February 23, 2026
For the first time ever all matches in Stage 3 of a Major will now be played as a best-of-three series. pic.twitter.com/YWM8aEdZjd
Stage 3 Gets an Extra Day
To accommodate the additional time required by a full BO3 schedule, ESL has extended Stage 3 by one day. The stage will now run from June 11 to June 15, 2026. ESL also confirmed that extra tickets have been made available for the extended stage.
The Major format has faced consistent criticism from the Counter-Strike community for continuing to use BO1 matches in its Swiss stages. Most other top-tier events on the CS2 circuit already use BO3 matches exclusively, making the Major an outlier in this regard.
BO1 matches have long been seen as a format that introduces too much randomness at the highest level of competition. A single map does not always reflect the true skill gap between two teams, and upsets in BO1s can alter the trajectory of an entire tournament in ways that many fans and analysts consider unfair.
This change to Stage 3 brings the Major format closer to the standard set by the rest of the professional circuit.
Part of a Larger Trend in Major Format Updates
The removal of BO1s from Stage 3 is not the first major format improvement in recent times. The StarLadder Budapest Major introduced a best-of-five (BO5) grand final for the first time, aligning the Major’s championship match with the format used at other premier events.
Together, these two changes represent a clear direction. The CS2 Major is gradually adopting the same competitive standards that fans and teams have come to expect from top-tier tournaments throughout the year.
With Stage 3 now running entirely on BO3 matches across five days, fans attending in Cologne or watching online can expect longer and more competitive series throughout the stage. The added day also means more CS2 content for viewers and more time for teams to prove themselves across multiple maps.
For those looking to attend, the additional tickets for the extended Stage 3 schedule are now available.