Cologne/New York: Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne is back, and the Cathedral of Counter-Strike is looking to crown a new champion! One of the most iconic esports tournaments in the world is on its way to Cologne, Germany, for a clash of 24 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) teams. IEM Cologne is set to return on August 7-18, with the final three days of the $1 million competition taking place in the sold-out LANXESS arena.
IEM Cologne 2024, brought to you by ESL FACEIT Group, the leading esports and video game entertainment company, will see 24 top CS2 teams compete for the lion’s share of that $1 million prize pool, a win in the race to secure the $1 million Intel® Grand Slam V and the second ESL Pro Tour (EPT) Championship title of the year. Commencing on August 7, contenders from around the globe will go head-to-head in Cologne, with only six best teams facing off August 16-18 at the LANXESS arena.
As a perennial tournament since 2014, IEM Cologne, dubbed the “Cathedral of Counter-Strike,” has created some of the most memorable moments in the esport’s history, solidifying its place as a must-attend event every year. It became the hallowed ground for the greatest Counter-Strike stars and thousands of passionate fans to share and celebrate their love for the game, making it a cornerstone of the esport’s communities.
Schedule and Format: IEM Cologne will see changes to the tournament format following the decision to remove the best-of-one games and replace them with best-of-three series.
Stage 1 (August 7-9): Features 16 teams competing for eight spots in Stage 2.
The first stage will be a double-elimination bracket.
All matches are best-of-three
Stage 2 (August 10-13):
The top eight teams from Stage 1 and eight directly qualified teams are split into two groups of eight.
The groups compete in a double-elimination format.
All matches are best-of-three.
The top three teams from each group advance to the Playoffs.
Group stage winners advance to the Semifinals.
Group stage second- and third-place teams advance to the Quarterfinals.
Playoffs (August 16-18):
Played in a single-elimination format.
The Quarterfinals and Semifinals will be best-of-three.
The Grand Final will be best-of-five.
Teams Attending: Stage 1:
- ALTERNATE aTTaX (Online Qualifier Germany)
- HEROIC (ESL World Ranking Europe)
- Eternal Fire (ESL World Ranking Europe)
- Team Falcons (ESL World Ranking Europe)
- Complexity Gaming (ESL World Ranking North America)
- 9z Globant (ESL World Ranking South America)
- The MongolZ (ESL World Ranking Asia)
- FlyQuest (ESL World Ranking Oceania)
- Team Liquid (ESL World Ranking Global)
- Imperial Esports (ESL World Ranking Global)
- FURIA Esports (ESL World Ranking Global)
- BIG (ESL World Ranking Global)
- BetBoom Team (ESL World Ranking Global)
- paiN Gaming (ESL World Ranking Global)
- MIBR (ESL World Ranking Global)
- SAW (ESL World Ranking Global)
Stage 2:
- Team Spirit (IEM Katowice 2024 winner)
- FaZe Clan (IEM Chengdu 2024 winner)
- MOUZ (ESL Pro League Season 19 winner)
- G2 Esports (IEM Dallas 2024 winner)
- Team Vitality (ESL World Ranking Global)
- Natus Vincere (ESL World Ranking Global)
- Astralis (ESL World Ranking Global)
- Virtus.pro (ESL World Ranking Global)
On-Site Activations: Those visiting the LANXESS arena on August 16-18 can also look forward to a wide variety of on-site activities*:
- IEM Cologne will feature a showmatch with fan-favorite players forming two teams to face off against each other. The All-Star Hour Showmatch will take place before the Grand Final at 14:30 CEST on August 18, where two teams will go head-to-head. Fans visiting the event on-site can look forward to cheering on the teams live at the arena, while those tuning in online from around the globe can expect an exciting live broadcast.
- At the Intel® Tent, fans are invited to try out the latest games and hardware, participate in activities, and get their idols’ signatures.
- The ESL Shop will provide attendees an elevated experience with an exclusive IEM Cologne and ESL merch drop, Kolex Cards, team jerseys, and much more.
- The Monster Energy Booth features a sampling bar where fans can grab their preferred flavor, try out a custom Monster Energy CS2 map, play 2vs2, try their hand at the claw machine, and more.
- Those looking to win a trip to Saint Julian’s, Malta, to experience ESL Pro League Season 20 and play alongside Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund and Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo can stop by the DHL Booth and learn more about the Ultimate 10.
Where to Watch: The live broadcast will be available on FACEIT Watch, featuring a unique multi-perspective view selector where users can watch up to four players’ perspectives, including the main tournament stream. It enables viewers to pause and rewind, with access to killcams and live-generated replays of key moments. The platform also allows fans to adjust the volume of casters and multi-perspective sounds, as well as disabling spoilers, letting them personalize how they engage with the streaming content. Additionally, those tuning in via FACEIT Watch will have an opportunity to win a selection of valuable skins each day.
Additionally, you can tune in live on ESL Counter-Strike Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as via dedicated broadcast partners. For those unable to tune in live, all matches will also be available to watch on-demand via FACEIT Watch and YouTube.
*Details of the mentioned activities are still subject to change.
