Stage 3 at the IEM Cologne Major is here, and with it comes a fresh set of pick’ems to tackle. Five days of best-of-3 action between the best CS2 teams in the world kicks off now, and here are our picks.
TLDR – Stage 3 Pick’Ems 3-0: Spirit, Vitality
3-1/3-2: NAVI, Furia, Falcons, FUT, TheMongolZ, BetBoom
0-3: 9z, Monte
Stage 3 Pick’Ems: The 3-0 teams
In previous Majors, the top-seeded teams have often stumbled in the Swiss stages, with best-of-1 matches giving underdogs the perfect window to cause an upset. Cologne’s move to all-BO3s should allow the best teams to rise above the noise far more comfortably. With that in mind, Vitality and Spirit are the clear favorites for the 3-0 spots.
Vitality’s inclusion is a no-brainer. The team is getting ready to make their case for overtaking Astralis 2018’s all-time crown, and while their form at Atlanta was far from perfect, they are simply too good, tactically and individually, to be counted out. With over two weeks of preparation behind them, they are as close to a 3-0 lock as this stage offers.
Spirit arrive in red-hot form from Stage 2, with Danil “donk” Kryshkovets posting a jaw-dropping 2.27 rating across four maps. Both coaches may be absent from the event, but stand-in Jab Jabich has done an admirable job keeping the team composed. That steadiness should carry into Stage 3, where only a handful of teams can even come close to matching their firepower.
Six teams to make it out: The 3-1 and 3-2 picks
With six playoff slots available alongside the 3-0 teams, most of 2026’s major contenders look set to make the walk into the LANXESS Arena. Headlining the list is NAVI, entering the cathedral on the back of their first win over Vitality since 2024 and the Atlanta trophy to show for it. Give coach B1ad3 enough time to prepare, and he can antistrat the very best. In a stage full of best-of-3s, the team has the depth to get through.
Next up are the star-heavy rosters of FURIA and Falcons, both with compelling storylines riding on their veteran IGLs. For the Brazilians, the pressure is building to send 2016 champion FalleN out of the Cathedral for the last time with his head held high. For Falcons, their superteam finally has the leader who wrote the book on international rosters with FaZe. With NiKo’s form dipping and the clock on karrigan’s career ticking, Cologne may be one of the last real chances for the two to lift a Major trophy together.
FUT have been the revelation of 2026, with immense firepower, solid teamwork, and a fearlessness that has made even the strongest teams uncomfortable. Loaded with high-fragging stars willing to take heads-up duels against anyone, this squad has gone from group stage exits to Tier 1 trophies in under six months. That momentum looks set to continue with a playoffs berth in Cologne.
Where you might classically expect G2, Parivision, or Aurora to round out this section, their recent form leaves too much to be desired. TheMongolZ, by contrast, have held their gatekeeper position in the top 10 and continue to pull off surprising results, even without Senzu. Rather than relying on a single superstar, the team has spread responsibilities across 910 and Mzinho, and in Stage 3 they have just enough depth to squeeze into the top eight.
Related—IEM Cologne 2026 Major Pick’Ems: Last Minute Diamond Coin Guide
BetBoom make the list largely on the strength of their individual performances in stages 1 and 2, with simulations giving them enough favorable matchups to grind out a 3-2. If you’re not confident in that firepower holding up, Aurora is a reasonable alternative, but either way, this slot is the most likely candidate for a surprise qualification.
IEM Cologne Stage 3 Pick’Ems: 0-3 teams
While no team wants their Cologne journey to be cut short in Stage 3, three teams stand out from the crowd for 0-3 picks: 9z, Monte, and B8. The South American squad was incredibly lucky in their matchups in Stage 2, facing none of the teams that made it through the top sixteen. Instead, they were handed easy wins over Tyloo, FlyQuest and Astralis. And those wins simply do not make a case strong enough for them to be put any higher than 0-3. luchov may be playing well, but there’s only so much he can do against the likes of Spirit, Falcons, and more.
Our other choice for 0-3 is Monte, a team that required all five series to make it through Stage 2. The team has solid tactics, but showed some hesitation during close matches which will not fly up against the teams of Stage 3. Both Gizmy and Bymas have made their case for being players to watch in 2026, but the team as a whole is likely heading towards an early elimination.
Stage 3 is where the Major truly begins. The crowds are in, the stakes are at their highest, and with all-BO3 matchups from here on out, the best teams in the world have no excuses. Lock in Vitality and Spirit for the 3-0 spots, trust NAVI, FURIA, Falcons, FUT, to make the playoffs, and send 9z, Monte home early. The Diamond coin beckons, and just the playoffs remain to be solved now.
