For the first time in Counter-Strike history, three of the game’s most decorated players will be absent from the same Major tournament. S1mple, dev1ce, and karrigan have all failed to qualify for the IEM Cologne Major 2026. Their teams, BC.Game, 100 Thieves, and FaZe Clan, fell short of earning enough Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points to secure an invite.
The IEM Cologne 2026 CS2 Major runs from June 2 to June 21 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany. A total of 32 teams qualified based on their VRS rankings. None of the three squads carrying these legendary names made the cut.
Karrigan Calls It the Lowest Point of His Career
FaZe Clan’s failure to qualify is the biggest shock. The organization reached the grand final of the Budapest Major just months ago. They were expected to be a lock for Cologne. Instead, 2026 has been disastrous.
It started at Digital Crusade DraculaN, where FaZe lost to both Passion UA and Fnatic. The team initially planned to skip the qualifying grind and head straight to PGL Bucharest. At the last minute, they changed course and flew to HLC Belgrade PRO 2026 for a final attempt at earning enough VRS points.
FaZe swept through the bracket and reached the grand final against BIG. They opened the series with a dominant 13-3 win on Dust 2. Then BIG fought back and took the series 2-1. BIG had already secured their Major spot after their semifinal win. They had nothing to lose. FaZe had everything on the line, and they lost.
Karrigan posted on X after the defeat. He did not make excuses. He wrote that the team deserved to miss the Major based on their 2026 performances and called it the lowest point of his career. He added that he would fight to come back from it.
This marks the first time karrigan will miss a Major in 10 years. It also means Vitality’s apEX is set to take over the record for most Major appearances as an in-game leader.
According to Dot Esports, FaZe attended four S-tier events in 2026 and failed to make a single playoff. They finished last at two of those events. The team also parted ways with long-time coach NEO earlier this year.
S1mple’s BC.Game Withdrew from Their Last Chance
S1mple’s path to the Major ended differently. His team, BC.Game, withdrew from a ROG tournament that was one of their remaining opportunities to earn VRS points. That withdrawal, combined with a poor showing at the Imperium Cup where BC.Game dropped to 42nd in VRS, sealed the deal.
BC.Game simply could not accumulate enough points through the events they did attend. An analyst had previously estimated the team’s chances of qualifying at just 34 percent, and the math did not work out in their favor.
S1mple remains one of the most talented individuals to ever play Counter-Strike. But individual brilliance has not been enough to carry BC.Game into the top 32 of the VRS standings.
Dev1ce’s 100 Thieves Fall Short on VRS Rankings
Dev1ce returned to competitive CS2 with 100 Thieves, but the team could not accumulate the VRS ranking required for a Major invite. Unlike FaZe, there was no dramatic last-chance qualifier. 100 Thieves simply did not have the results over the course of the season to earn a spot.
Dev1ce is a four-time Major champion and one of the most accomplished players in the game’s history. His absence from a Major is notable on its own. Combined with s1mple and karrigan, it creates a situation the CS2 community has never seen before.
Full List of Teams Missing the CS2 Cologne Major 2026
Twelve teams that participated in the Budapest Major last year will not be at IEM Cologne. Here is the complete list:
FaZe Clan, BC.Game, 100 Thieves, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Imperial, Passion UA, 3DMAX, Rare Atom, Red Canids, The Huns, Fluxo, and Fnatic.
The absence of legacy names like FaZe, Fnatic, and NiP is striking. These organizations were pillars of the Counter-Strike competitive scene for over a decade. All three missing the same Major is a sign of how competitive the CS2 tournament circuit in 2026 has become under the VRS system.
What the VRS System Means for CS2’s Future
Valve introduced the VRS system to reward consistent performance across multiple events. Teams accumulate points based on their finishes at sanctioned tournaments. The top 32 teams in each region’s combined VRS standings receive Major invites.
The system is designed to prevent scenarios where a single strong tournament run guarantees a Major spot. It rewards teams that perform well throughout the season. But it also means that traditionally strong organizations can miss out entirely if they have a rough few months.
For FaZe, BC.Game, and 100 Thieves, that is exactly what happened. The VRS system does not care about legacy or past achievements. It only cares about results within the qualification window.
As the IEM Cologne Major approaches, this will be one of the biggest talking points heading into the event. The cathedral of Counter-Strike will be full of talent in June. But three of the game’s most recognizable names will be watching from outside.
Community Reactions to the GOATs Missing CS2 Major
The CS2 community on X and HLTV reacted strongly to the news. One user pointed out that FaZe, Fnatic, and NiP missing the same Major would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Another requested Valve to give karrigan’s new lineup a chance.
The general tone across social media was a mix of disbelief and acceptance. Fans acknowledged that the VRS system is fair, but the sight of s1mple, dev1ce, and karrigan all absent from a Major felt like the end of an era to many.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is karrigan not at the CS2 Cologne Major 2026? FaZe Clan failed to earn enough VRS points after a series of poor results in early 2026. Their final attempt at HLC Belgrade ended with a loss to BIG in the grand final.
Is s1mple retired from CS2? No. S1mple is actively competing with BC.Game. The team withdrew from a qualifying event and did not accumulate enough VRS points for a Major invite.
Will dev1ce play at the next Major? That depends on 100 Thieves’ performance in the coming months. The team’s VRS ranking was not high enough for Cologne, but future Majors offer a fresh qualification window.
How many teams are at the IEM Cologne Major 2026? 32 teams qualified based on VRS rankings. The tournament runs from June 2 to June 21 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, with a $1,250,000 prize pool.
