Summary
- IEM Cologne 2025 returns to the iconic LANXESS Arena on July 23 until August 3, 2025, bringing a beloved tournament back
- ESL has announced the complete list of 24 invited teams: 16 teams to Stage 1 and 8 teams to Stage 2.
- A $1,250,000 prize pool is at stake, along with club rewards distributed among the teams.
The Cathedral of Counter-Strike opens its doors once again for IEM Cologne 2025. ESL announced the complete invite list on June 3, naming 24 of the world’s best teams competing for the title. Get ready to witness two weeks of electrifying competition at the LANXESS Arena, the iconic venue for one of Counter-Strike’s most prestigious tournaments.
IEM Cologne 2025 Dates, Venue, and Format
Organizers split up the IEM Cologne 2025 format into three stages. Stage 1 begins from July 23-25, followed by Stage 2 from July 26-30. Finally, the playoffs take center stage from August 1-3, where champions will emerge at the LANXESS Arena in Cologne, Germany.
Stage 1 – Play-Ins
16 teams compete in a double-elimination bracket, with only the top 8 teams to move forward to Stage 2. All matches are best-of-three (Bo3).
Stage 2 – Group Stage
8 teams from Stage 1 are added to 8 teams from direct invites for a total of 16 contenders in the Group Stage. They will form two double-elimination brackets and play Bo3 matches. At the end of the Group Stage the top 3 teams from each group will advance to the Playoffs.
Playoffs
The 6 qualified teams from the Group Stage will play in a single-elimination bracket. Of the six teams, two will advance to the Semifinal bracket while the runner-ups will compete in the Quarterfinal.
- #1 team from each group – Advance directly to the Semifinal
- #2 team from each group – Advance as Quarterfinal High Seeds
- #3 team from each group – Advance as Quarterfinal Low Seeds
All Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches are Bo3, while the Grand Final is best-of-five (Bo5).
Complete List of Invited Teams
ESL based all IEM Cologne 2025 invitations on the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) from June 2. 16 teams were invited to the Stage 1 of the competition, while 8 others were directly qualified for Stage 2. Fan-favorites, consistent placers, and emerging names alike are expected to show in their best form, competitive and ready to fight for the title.
Stage 1 Invited Teams
- FaZe Clan
- Team Liquid
- FURIA
- Complexity
- GamerLegion
- HEROIC
- 3DMAX
- Virtus.pro
- TYLOO
- MIBR
- B8
- Astralis
- Ninjas in Pajamas
- FlyQuest
- BIG
- paiN gaming
Stage 2 Invited Teams
- Vitality
- G2
- Natus Vincere
- Team Spirit
- MOUZ
- The MongolZ
- Aurora Gaming
- Falcons
Prize Pool and Distribution
From the $1,250,000 total prize pool, a home a lion’s share of $400,000 awaits the IEM Cologne 2025 champions. Meanwhile, here is the full prize distribution across all participating teams:
- 1st Place – $400,000 + $60,000 Club Reward
- 2nd Place – $180,000 + $36,000 Club Reward
- 3rd-4th Place – $80,000 + $28,000 Club Reward
- 5th-6th Place – $40,000 + $21,000 Club Reward
- 7th-8th Place – $24,000 + $14,000 Club Reward
- 9th-12th Place – $16,000 + $7,000 Club Reward
- 13th-16th Place – $10,000
- 17th-20th Place – $4,500
- 21st-24th – Place – $2,500
Conclusion
IEM Cologne has established itself as one of the most-awaited and beloved Counter-Strike events. This prestigious tournament once again prepares to bring fierce, top-tier competition as 24 teams battle it out in the LANXESS Arena. Don’t miss all the IEM Cologne 2025 action when it begins in July!
