IEM Cologne 2027
Intel Extreme Masters returns to the Cathedral of Counter-Strike on 4-15 August 2027, with four days of playoffs at Cologne's LANXESS arena for the first time.
IEM Cologne 2027 is the next edition of ESL FACEIT Group's flagship Counter-Strike 2 tournament in Cologne, Germany. The event runs from 4 to 15 August 2027, and for the first time outside of a Major the playoffs stretch across four days at the LANXESS arena, from 12 to 15 August. The organiser calls it the biggest edition in the event's history.
Twenty-four teams will compete for 1,250,000 USD in total winnings, with the best eight reaching the arena stage. ESL has also announced a 360-degree stage for the playoffs, a first for the event.
Cologne is the Counter-Strike LAN that European fans tend to travel to: the LANXESS arena crowd is famous, the city is well connected by rail and air, and the August slot makes it an easy summer trip from Croatia, Slovenia or Austria. Ticket pre-sale opens on 13 October 2026 at 15:00 CEST, followed by Wave 1 general sale on 15 October 2026 at 15:00 CEST. According to the official ticket listing, Wave 1 prices start at 39 EUR for a one-day upper-tier ticket, with four-day weekend passes from 169 EUR. Participating teams will be announced closer to the event.
Image: Hans Peter Schaefer / CC BY-SA 3.0, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:K%C3%B6ln_deutz_k%C3%B6lnarena.jpg