IEM Cologne Major 2026 Favorites: Which Team Has the Best Chance to Win?

IEM Cologne Major 2026 has already started, and we are ready to follow you on this journey. Of course, some teams have already begun their fight for a prize. Undoubtedly, some matches are way too thrilling, but that’s hardly surprising. In the end, we are talking about the fifth major CS2 tournament. Still, today we are not going to discuss the stages but explore the main favorites of the tournament. Who has the best chance of winning the Major? Are there any changes in their rosters? What about their latest victories? Follow our material for all the details, and cheer on your favorite team with Hellcase!

CS2 Pick’em

Undoubtedly, IEM Cologne Major 2026 is the event we have been waiting for since the wintertime. 32 teams, a $1,250,000 prize pool, and three weeks of striking performance from the best of the best. What else can we hope for? Well, no less exciting is testing your luck and intuition by predicting the winners and earning top-tier skins while cheering your favorite team. The great news is that you can make it here, on Hellcase, with CS2 Pick’em.

Advertisement

But what exactly is the CS2 Pick’em? In short, it’s a prediction competition. You choose the teams that will win based on your opinion (or intuition). The more correct predictions you make, the more points you earn. More points simply mean more valuable top-tier skins you will get. In the end, you compete with other users, which makes each prediction more than just a choice, but something deeper. Follow CS2 Pick’em for more information and earn rewards for getting right predictions.

Legacy

The first favorite at IEM Cologne Major 2026 is definitely Legacy. Being a dark horse, they have surprised the community in 2024 and 2025. Third place at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024: American RMR; first place at Thunderpick World Championship 2024: North American Series #2, CCT Season 2 North American Series #1, and Thunderpick World Championship 2025: North American Series #1. Undoubtedly, no one could have expected such a result from a young team that had taken much lower places at the beginning.

Of course, the current major tournament isn’t the first in their journey. They have already participated in the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 (17th-19th), BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 (9th-11th), and StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 (25th-27th). But do they have a chance to set a high place this time? In fact, everything is possible. Especially, if we mention their solid win in the CS Asia Championships 2026 against Team Falcons.

Besides, Legacy is currently ranked #7 in HLTV 2026 by points, passing MOUZ, The MongolZ, GamerLegion, and PARIVISION. In other words, we can expect from them not just eye-catching results, but something more.

FURIA Esports

FURIA Esports currently has a stable roster. It includes the veteran FalleN as IGL and the AWPer molodoy, who joined the team in April 2025. In fact, FURIA is known for showing an aggressive playstyle and high performance in almost every match. Of course, it includes tournaments like BLAST Bounty Winter 2026, Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025, and Thunderpick World Championship 2025.

For example, they got second place at Intel Extreme Masters Kraków 2026. In the game against Team Vitality, FURIA could secure only two rounds on Nuke. Still, the Brazilian team defeated them on Mirage (13:11). In the end, they also won 8 and 10 rounds on Inferno and Overpass, respectively. But that wasn’t enough.

In fact, FURIA Esports defeated Team Vitality at Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025. They have secured three matches and showed high performance on Ancient, Inferno, and Overpass. Still, it will not be the easiest journey for them at the IEM Cologne Major 2026. 

Team Falcons

Another favorite we cannot ignore is Team Falcons. As you know, the team is known for many roster changes, with over 10 swaps in the last 3 years. Moreover, we even saw one of the most significant changes just before the IEM Cologne Major 2026.

Of course, we are talking about karrigan’s joining on April 20, 2026, who replaced kyxsan as IGL. Without a doubt, the community expects significant changes in the team’s performance with such a combination of karrigan’s experience, NiKo’s crisp aim, and m0NESY’s lightning-fast flick shots.

The team has suffered several defeats over the last few months. At the same time, Falcons were able to secure top 3 at Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2026 and top 2 at PGL Astana 2026 and CS Asia Championships 2026. And, for sure, it is easy to expect more accurate play from them in Major under the leadership of karrigan.

Natus Vincere

NAVI is one of the most successful and historically significant teams in Counter-Strike history. No less important to note is that the team has a stable roster, which allows them to consistently deliver high results without experimenting with wildly different players’ playstyles. As proof of their dominance, they secured first place in ESL Pro League Season 23 and Intel Extreme Masters Atlanta 2026, with a thunderous victory over Team Vitality in the Quarterfinals. Moreover, NAVI got second place in BLAST Open Spring 2026 and BLAST Rivals Spring 2026.

But can they handle all competitors at the IEM Cologne Major 2026? As we know, the Ukrainian team has numerous victories in major tournaments over the years. And, for sure, it will not be a vast surprise if they win. Still, NAVI’s fans know how nervous their matches can be with extreme comebacks. Should we be ready for a similar experience this time?

Team Spirit

Another favorite at the IEM Cologne Major 2026 is Team Spirit. Known for aggressive, fast-paced playstyle, it is the home of famous Danil “donk” Kryshkovets. Being the #2 in the top 20 HLTV 2025, the young player is one of the most dominant and mechanically gifted riflers in CS history.

Of course, it allows Spirit to secure high places in many tier-S tournaments: PGL Astana 2026 (first place), Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2026 (second place), and Intel Extreme Masters Kraków 2026 (third place). Despite high coordination during the matches, they often lose the pace of the game, placing 5th-8th or 7th-8th. Will we see something similar to their performance at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, or will it be the same game as on BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025?

Advertisement

Team Vitality

Team Vitality definitely needs no introduction. They have already won five tournaments in the last few months, including Intel Extreme Masters Kraków 2026, PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026, and BLAST Rivals Spring 2026. Well, in fact, we should also mention their winning multiple CS2 Majors and being the first team to win consecutive Intel Grand Slams.

Undoubtedly, it’s possible because of the remarkable combination of apEX’s experience and ZywOo’s mastery. Should we be ready to see their new major victory? As you know, Vitality has not performed well at the Intel Extreme Masters Atlanta 2026. Later, they attributed the result to a lack of preparation and to needing to rest before the major tournament. In other words, you definitely shouldn’t skip matches against French players.

Overall

Undoubtedly, Vitality and NAVI are the most decorated favorites at the IEM Cologne Major 2026. At the same time, Falcons and Spirit play at an aggressive pace, creating an unpredictable bracket. Regardless of the results, the first major in 2026 promises to be full of highlights that we’ll be discussing for months. But first, are you waiting for the Playoffs, or are you following every match with your favorite teams to not miss the slightest detail? Follow the Hellcase Blog and cheer together with us!