The biggest Counter-Strike tournament of the summer is in full swing, and there’s a conspicuous absence in the sponsor lineup. The IEM Cologne Major 2026, running from June 2 through June 21 with a $1.25M prize pool, features zero cryptocurrency sponsors.
Stage 3 heats up with best-of-three format
Day 2 of Stage 3, which landed on June 12, delivered compelling matchups including Spirit versus Aurora and G2 versus FUT. Video recaps went live promptly on YouTube via ESL and community creators.
Stage 3 itself runs from June 11 to June 15 at the Palladium in Cologne, using the Swiss-system format. This is the first Major where every single Stage 3 match is played in a best-of-three format. Previous Majors used best-of-one matches in early Swiss rounds. This is the fifth Major in CS2 history.
The crypto sponsorship vacuum
