IEM Cologne Major 2026: Vitality Hunts Historic Three-Peat as Valve Kills Sticker Capsules

The biggest CS2 event of the summer is here. IEM Cologne Major 2026 kicked off in Germany with 32 teams fighting for $1.25 million. The tournament runs through June 21.

All eyes are on Team Vitality. They're chasing something only Astralis has done before. A third Major win in a row. The French squad enters as heavy favorites. If they pull it off, they match one of the greatest runs in Counter-Strike history.

Day 1 Results

The first day of Stage 1 is in the books. Four teams sit at 2-0: B8, M80, GamerLegion, and BetBoom. They're in good shape heading into the next round.

On the other end? HEROIC, TYLOO, SINNERS, and Gaimin Gladiators are all 0-2. One more loss and they're out. The pressure is real.

Valve Makes Big Changes to Stickers

Valve dropped a bomb before the tournament. Sticker capsules are gone. Done. The company replaced them with a demand-priced token shop. Reports say gambling lawsuits pushed Valve to make the change.

This is huge for the CS2 economy. Capsules have been part of Major culture for years. Now fans buy what they want directly. Prices shift based on demand. It's a totally different system.

Astralis Gets New Partner

Speaking of Astralis, the legendary org announced a partnership with Skin.Club right before Cologne. The Danish team isn't the force they once were. But that name still carries weight. They set the standard Vitality is now trying to match.

If you think you know how this Major will play out, put your predictions to the test. Sites like 1v1me let you back your takes with real stakes against other fans.

The road to the trophy is long. But Vitality looks ready to make history.