The Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024 will start on August 7 and run till August 18 in Cologne, Cologne.

Organised by ESL, IEM Cologne 2024 is a marquee international Counter-Strike 2 tournament, which is part of the eSports season. 

The playoffs of the upcoming German Counter-Strike 2 tournament will be held at the Lanxess Arena in Katowice.

G2 Esports won the previous edition of the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne in 2023.

IEM Cologne 2024 schedule and format

The IEM Cologne 2024 will be staged in three phases - Play-In, Group Stage and Playoffs.

As many as 16 teams have directly qualified for the Play-In and will face-off in a double-elimination bracket. All Play-In stage matches will be held in a best-of-three series.

The top eight teams will advance to the Group Stage.

The Group Stage will feature a total of 16 teams including eight qualified teams and as many as teams from Play-In Stage. These teams will be divided into two double-elimination groups.

All group matches will be played in a best-of-three series. 

The top three teams from each group will progress to the playoffs.

The Group Stages winners will advance to the Semifinals, the runners-up will move to the Quarterfinals as the High Seeds, and third-placed teams advance to the Quarterfinals as the Low Seeds.

Six teams will compete in the playoffs in a single-elimination bracket. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be staged in a best-of-three matches while the Grand Final will be a best-of-five series.

IEM Cologne 2024 teams

Here are the teams that will participate in the IEM Cologne 2024.

Play-In teams

  • HEROIC (ESL World Ranking EU)
  • Eternal Fire (ESL World Ranking EU)
  • Team Falcons (ESL World Ranking EU)
  • Complexity Gaming (ESL World Ranking NA)
  • 9z Team (ESL World Ranking SA)
  • The MongolZ (ESL World Ranking AS)
  • FlyQuest (ESL World Ranking OCE)
  • Team Liquid (ESL World Ranking)
  • FURIA Esports (ESL World Ranking)
  • Imperial Esports (ESL World Ranking)
  • BIG (ESL World Ranking)
  • paiN Gaming (ESL World Ranking)
  • MIBR (ESL World Ranking)
  • SAW (ESL World Ranking)
  • ALTERNATE aTTaX (German Qualifier)
  • 3DMAX (ESL World Ranking)

Directly Qualified teams

  • Team Spirit (IEM Katowice 2024)
  • FaZe Clan (IEM Chengdu 2024)
  • MOUZ (ESL Pro League Season 19)
  • G2 Esports (IEM Dallas 2024)
  • Team Vitality (ESL World Ranking)
  • Natus Vincere (ESL World Ranking)
  • Astralis (ESL World Ranking)
  • Virtus.pro (ESL World Ranking)

IEM Cologne 2024 prize pool

The IEM Cologne 2024 has a total prize pool of a whopping $1 million USD. The winner will receive a cash prize of $400,000 USD and will also qualify for IEM Katowice 2025 and BLAST Premier World Final.

Where to watch IEM Cologne 2024 live

Live streaming of the IEM Cologne 2024 will be available on ESL Counter Strike’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

Photo credit: Imago