G2 Esports and Brazilian squad Legacy squared off on June 14, 2026, in a do-or-die best-of-3 at the IEM Cologne Major 2026. The stakes were simple: win or go home, with a share of the tournament’s $1.25 million prize pool still on the line.
But the match carried a quieter subplot that crypto investors should be paying attention to. This year’s IEM Cologne Major ran without a single crypto or blockchain sponsor for the first time in recent memory, a notable departure for an industry that once couldn’t stop plastering exchange logos on every jersey and broadcast overlay.
The match and what led to it
Both G2 and Legacy earned their spots in Stage 3 through solid runs in earlier rounds. Legacy, the Brazilian roster competing under the legacyggbr banner, punched above their weight by knocking off higher-seeded opponents including TYLOO and M80 in the process.
G2, meanwhile, entered the elimination bracket with the organizational pedigree and firepower you’d expect from one of the most recognized brands in competitive gaming. Landing in the 1-2 bracket meant neither team had a clean path through the tournament, and both were fighting with their backs against the wall.
