IEM Cologne 2026: GamerLegion, M80, B8, and BetBoom Team on cusp of Stage 2 qualification

While the first stage of play at the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2026 tournament won't end for a few more days, we are expecting to see a handful of teams advance from the phase this afternoon, punching their Stage 2 ticket, all while a couple of squads are knocked out of the Counter-Strike 2 tournament for good.

The Swiss stage is underway, and as teams need three wins to advance and three losses to be eliminated, today's games will provide answers in regards to the future of four teams in total, as the day will end with two 3-0 squads and two 0-3 teams too.

As it stands, GamerLegion, M80, B8, and BetBoom Team are all 2-0 and will be facing off against each other for a Stage 2 ticket. GamerLegion will battle it out with BetBoom Team, while M80 and B8 face-off. The winners advance and the losers head back into the fold to hunt for a third win over the next couple of days of Swiss stage action.

Likewise, Sinners Esports, Heroic, Gaimin Gladiators, and Tyloo are all 0-2 and will play each other as well. Tyloo is matched up with Sinners Esports, and Gaimin Gladiators and Heroic will duke it out, with the winners living to fight another day while the losers are eliminated from the tournament for good.

As for the other match-ups, the 1-1 teams will take each other on, with Team Liquid vs. MiBR, Thunderdownunder vs. BIG, NRG vs. FlyQuest, and Sharks Esports vs. Lynn Vision Gaming. Neither of these teams can advance nor be knocked out.

Stage 1 will continue running until June 5, with Stage 2 then picking up from June 6 onwards.