IEM Cologne 2025 Playoffs Preview – Who Will Lift the Trophy?

The Cathedral of Counter-Strike is ready. LANXESS Arena in Cologne has always been more than a stage — it’s where legends are made and dynasties are broken. IEM Cologne is one of the most coveted trophies in CS, carrying the prestige and intensity of a Major. Six elite teams enter the playoffs, where every match could decide their fate.

Once the final battle before the season break, IEM Cologne now opens the second half of the year, demanding peak form from the very first match. The shift only raises the stakes, but the atmosphere remains the same: LANXESS Arena delivers unmatched energy as every team fights for survival in front of one of the loudest crowds in esports.

To some extent, I like it this way because it allows some surprises, says Peacemaker.

Format

The playoffs of IEM Cologne 2025 will run from August 1–3 in a single-elimination bracket. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played as best-of-three series, and the grand final on Sunday will be a best-of-five. The event features a $1,000,000 prize pool, with $400,000 going to the winner, $180,000 to the runner-up, $80,000 for the semifinalists, and $40,000 for those finishing in 5th–6th place.

Schedule

Friday, August 1:

• 15:45 (CEST) – The MongolZ vs NAVI
• 19:00 (CEST) – MOUZ vs FURIA

Saturday, August 2:

• 15:45 (CEST) – Team Spirit vs winner of The MongolZ/NAVI
• 19:00 (CEST) – Team Vitality vs winner of MOUZ/FURIA

Sunday, August 3:

• 17:00 (CEST) – Grand Final

Teams

Vitality remain the gold standard of Counter-Strike. They didn’t drop a single map in the group stage and are currently riding a 34-match win streak. Their map pool is the deepest of any team, and ZywOo is in peak form. The only possible concern is that their dominance might make them predictable against highly adaptive teams.

Spirit are the most explosive team left in the tournament. donk and sh1ro continue to shred opponents, and their tactical system is airtight. But now they’re carrying the weight of expectations, and LANXESS Arena’s pressure could test their younger players.

MOUZ have been a consistent playoff team all year, thanks to strong fundamentals and excellent leadership. However, they’ve often struggled to convert deep runs into titles, and breaking that pattern will be their biggest challenge.

The Brazilians roared back into form after a rough start, running through Astralis, Falcons, and G2 in the group stage lower bracket. Molodoy and YEKINDAR are clutch machines, while KSCERATO and yuurih have brought balance and consistency. The question is whether that momentum can carry them past structured European giants.

NAVI have looked dangerous since adding makazze and expanding their map pool with Overpass. Their experience and the individual brilliance of w0nderful and b1t make them a legitimate threat. However, their veto patterns remain narrow, which could be exploited.

The MongolZ are a pure wildcard: aggressive, fearless, and capable of knocking anyone out on their day. But their limited map depth could be a serious liability in the playoff bracket.

Who Will Win?

On paper, a Vitality vs Spirit final looks like the most likely outcome. Vitality bring unmatched stability and a flawless group stage, while Spirit’s firepower and confidence make them more than capable of going all the way.

But as Peacemaker points out, Cologne is famous for its chaos. NAVI and FURIA are both in form and could disrupt the bracket entirely if they win their quarterfinals.

Conclusion

The IEM Cologne 2025 playoffs are the climax of one of Counter-Strike’s most iconic events. Vitality and Spirit enter as front-runners, but LANXESS Arena has never been kind to favorites. Every round will matter, and the pressure will be relentless.

By Sunday evening, one team will lift the trophy in front of a roaring Cologne crowd. For the others, there will be only questions of where it all went wrong.