Falcons triumphed in Cologne, Niko finally lift a CS Major trophy

The IEM Cologne Major 2026 once again transformed the LANXESS Arena into a true Counter-Strike cathedral. In front of thousands of spectators gathered in one of the most iconic venues in esports history, the world’s best teams battled it out for the sport’s most coveted trophy. After several weeks of competition, Team Falcons finally succeeded in etching their name into the Major’s history books for the first time.

A few early eliminations of serious title contenders also marked the competition. Vitality, Natus Vincere, MOUZ, and other top-level teams failed to qualify for the playoffs, setting the stage for a final phase full of surprises. Despite these unexpected eliminations, the quarterfinal bracket remained extremely competitive, with five teams ranked in the world’s top 8 present at this stage, including three of the top 4. The tournament, therefore, didn’t lose all of its favorites but, above all, confirmed the difficulty of a Major where every series can change the course of a team’s run.

One of the biggest disappointments of this Major is undoubtedly Team Vitality. As the two-time defending champion following its victories in Austin 2025 and Budapest 2025, the French team arrived in Cologne with the ambition of continuing its already historic dominance. A third consecutive Major would have allowed the team to get even closer to the benchmarks set by Astralis during its reign and to solidify its place among the greatest teams of all time.

But Vitality’s run came to an end in the quarterfinals against Falcons. Despite being the tournament favorite, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s team fell 2-1 after a hard-fought series, dashing its hopes of achieving another historic feat. apEX’s tears as he left the stage were one of the most memorable moments of the 2026 tournament, symbolizing the frustration of a team that seemed capable of writing a new chapter in Counter-Strike history.

For Falcons, this title represents the culmination of a project built to win the biggest trophies. After many years of chasing this title, Nikola “NiKo” Kovač has finally won the first Major of his career. Long considered one of the best players in history never to have lifted this trophy, the Bosnian has brought an end to a quest that has defined much of his career.

Alongside him, Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, René “TeSeS” Madsen, and Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin also claimed their very first Major, allowing Falcons to cap off their run with a convincing victory in the final against FURIA. It’s been a strong start to the year for Falcon, who are heading into their next event with the confidence of a Major champion.