9z, the South American Counter-Strike squad that most viewers had penciled in as an early exit, just punched their ticket to the IEM Cologne Major 2026 playoffs by eliminating The MongolZ in a Stage 3 Swiss-system match.
A South American team on a historic run
The win over The MongolZ wasn’t even the most impressive result on 9z’s resume this tournament. Earlier in the event, they knocked off the world-ranked No. 1 Team Vitality with a 2-1 scoreline, a result that sent shockwaves through the Counter-Strike community.
The IEM Cologne Major 2026, which kicked off on June 15, 2026, carries a $1.25 million prize pool. That makes it one of the most lucrative stops on the Counter-Strike calendar and the kind of tournament where deep runs translate directly into organizational revenue and player market value.
Where did all the crypto sponsors go?
