CS2: Cologne to host the first 2026 Major at the LANXESS Arena

On the occasion of the IEM Cologne 2026 Grand Final between MOUZ and Team Spirit on August 3, ESL officially announced that The Cathedral of Counter-Strike will host the 2026 Major. Scheduled to take place from June 2 to June 21, the event will see nearly 32 teams battle it out for the most prestigious trophy in CS esports.

The upcoming 2026 edition will mark the return of a Major to Cologne for the fourth time, following three editions held between 2014 and 2016 during the early years of Global Offensive. This event will take the place of IEM Cologne next year and will be the eleventh Major organized by ESL, with the most recent being held in 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The playoffs of the Major are set to be played from June 18 to 21 inside the iconic LANXESS Arena — the famed Cathedral of Esports. At this stage, it's the only confirmed portion of the tournament to be held in front of a live audience, although an ESL representative told HLTV that more details will be revealed soon.

But before the Major returns to Germany, the next one — still funded by VALVE — is set to take place in Bucharest, Hungary, from November 24 to December 12. Organized by Starladder, it will determine who will succeed Team Vitality, winners of the most recent Major held this past June in Austin, United States.