IEM Cologne is back and promises premium action as elite teams clash for a $1.25 million prize pool. Defending champions Team Vitality enter as heavy favourites after a dominant 2025. With rising stars and competitive CS2 teams in the mix, the stage is set for an exciting showdown in Germany. Will Team Vitality continue their winning streak here? Our Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2025 preview reveals key details about this tournament.
The first stage of the IEM 2025 Cologne has already started with a lot of action available in both pre-match and live formats. However, all the top dogs and real contenders for the highest places received a direct ticket to the main stage, and we’ll focus on them in this betting guide.
IEM Cologne 2025 kicks off on July 26 and concludes on August 3. As the first major LAN event in the season’s second half, it brings together elite teams, revamped rosters, and exciting format changes.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | Counter-Strike 2, Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2025 |
| 🧾 Format: | S-tier LAN tournament with 16 teams and a few stages |
| 🏟️ Venue: | LANXESS Arena, Cologne, Germany |
| 🗓️ Dates: | Saturday, July 26 – Sunday, August 3, 2025 |
IEM Cologne 2025 features three stages: Play-In, Group Stage, and Playoffs. The Play-In stage starts with a double-elimination bracket, where all matches follow a best-of-three format. Eight winners from this round will join eight directly invited teams in the Group Stage. Here, the 16 teams are split into two groups of eight, and all matches are best-of-three.
From each group play, three teams advance to the Playoffs. Group winners head straight to the Semifinals, while runners-up and third-place teams move to the Quarterfinals as High and Low Seeds, respectively. The Playoffs feature a single-elimination bracket. Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches continue as best-of-three.
The tournament will end with a best-of-five Grand Final, where the last two teams battle for the crown. There will be a total prize pool of $1,250,000, with players sharing $1 million, while clubs will take their fair share of the remaining $250,000 based on their final standings.
The CS2 IEM Cologne 2025 odds are now available at the best sportsbooks for Esports disciplines, offering competitive lines. This section analyses the title chances of the tournament’s top five contenders. After evaluating their recent form and potential, we’ll lay out our CS2 predictions for IEM Cologne 2025.
Team Vitality has dominated the CS2 scene in 2025, winning the Major and ESL Grand Slam S5. They arrive at IEM Cologne 2025 as overwhelming favourites, riding a 34-series win streak in Bo3 and Bo5 formats. Since losing to Eternal Fire in January, they’ve racked up dozens of straight wins and seven consecutive titles. Their latest triumph saw them claim the BLAST Austin Major title. Their consistency, elite firepower, and unshakable momentum make them strong contenders to defend their IEM Cologne crown.
Team Falcons have bounced back impressively after a slow start to 2025. In April, they reached the top two in all three tournaments, winning the PGL Bucharest and finishing runners-up at IEM Melbourne and BLAST Rival. Despite a poor showing at the recent BLAST Austin Major, where they placed 12th-14th, they remain strong contenders. New signing Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin brings firepower to their roster. He will boost their chances of making a deep run at IEM Cologne 2025 if he can deliver what is needed.
MOUZ claimed the champion title once this year by winning the PGL Cluj-Napoca in February. They’ve since maintained solid form, finishing as runners-up at IEM Dallas and reaching the semifinals of the BLAST Austin Major. Despite losing to Vitality there, they put up a fight. They secured 27 rounds over three maps and notable individual performances from xertioN (46 kills). However, it wasn’t enough to stop Vitality’s momentum. Still, MOUZ’s consistent deep runs prove their pedigree and make them a potential title threat at IEM Cologne.
Team Spirit was a finalist at IEM Katowice 2025 and enters Cologne as a serious contender. Under Sergey “hally” Shavaev’s leadership, they claimed the PGL Astana title in May, with standout star Danil “donk” Kryshkovets averaging 93.8 damage per round. Donk’s explosive form and other rising talents make Spirit a dangerous opponent. Their recent roster move to bring in Ivan “zweih” Gogin, who impressed at the Major with Nemiga, looks like a tactical upgrade. With strong momentum and firepower, Spirit is more likely to contend for top honours here.
The MongolZ have had several quarterfinal and semifinal finishes this year. They reached the semifinals at IEM Katowice, Melbourne, and Dallas. Their best run in 2025 came with a runner-up finish at the recent BLAST Austin Major, where they lost to Vitality. That performance may boost their confidence ahead of Cologne. Although still viewed as underdogs, The MongolZ have shown they can challenge top-tier teams. They could take the extra step in this contest, securing their first title win of 2025 come August 3.
Here are our betting predictions for CS2 2025 IEM Cologne:
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Team Vitality enters IEM Cologne 2025 as the undisputed favourite and current world number one. With apEX leading and ZywOo in MVP form, they’ve won seven straight S-Tier titles in 2025. Their 34-series unbeaten run in Bo3 and Bo5 speaks volumes about their dominance. Estonian rifler ropz added just enough to their firepower to make this lineup unbeatable. As defending champions with zero roster changes, anything less than reaching the Grand Final would shock fans. Vitality’s current form suggests another title run is possible. Most 2025 CS2 IEM Cologne predictions position them as frontrunners for this event.
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Ranked #2 globally, MOUZ has shown impressive consistency throughout the 2025 season. They’ve secured key results, including a PGL Cluj-Napoca title and runner-up finishes at EPL S21, IEM Dallas, and BLAST Lisbon. They knocked out Team Spirit at the Austin Major before narrowly losing to Vitality. Their ability to push top teams highlights their potential to have a deep run in elite tournaments. MOUZ could reach the IEM Cologne 2025 Grand Final if they maintain this momentum. CS2 online bookies with live odds rate their finalist credentials with 3.00 (2/1) odds.
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With seven straight MVPs this year, Vitality’s ZywOo is the top choice for tournament MVP. However, we are backing xertioN from MOUZ to make a dominant run and secure the MVP award. He has already secured one EVP award this year (Cluj-Napoca) and has had three more in 2024. MOUZ looked like the only team that could stop Vitality, each time making games closer and closer. It’s hard to believe that anyone can really challenge ZywOo in this individual race, but xertioN looks like an interesting pick.
Here are our 2025 IEM Cologne betting tips:
Team Vitality’s unstoppable form and winning record in Cologne make them the favourites to clinch their 8th straight title of the year in Germany. Using information from this guide, ensure you bet on the 2025 CS2 IEM Cologne.
