Get ready to watch intense battles at the “Cathedral of Counter-Strike” as the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024 (IEM Cologne 2024) pits the best Counter-Strike 2 teams in the world.

This year, the legendary Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany once again serves as the stage for elite squads across the globe, with a passionate crowd roaring in the stands.

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Here’s all you need to know about the iconic tournament.

What is IEM Cologne 2024?

This year’s IEM Cologne marks the first time that the premier tournament is played on Counter-Strike 2.

The competition features the world’s 24 best teams vying for the largest share of the whopping US$1 million prize pool and 7,000 BLAST Premier points.

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The champion also qualifies for the BLAST Premier World Final this year and the IEM Katowice 2025.

Matches take place on a LAN within the massive Lanxess Arena in Cologne. This impressive venue can seat nearly 20,000 fans, creating an electric atmosphere for the players and spectators.

IEM Cologne 2024 format

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The competition is divided into three stages: play-in, group stage, and playoffs.

Sixteen teams clash in a double elimination bracket. Opening games are best-of-one while the remaining matches are best-of-three.

The top eight squads join the eight directly invited teams in the group stage.

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In the group stage, the 16 teams are divided into two double elimination GSL groups. They compete in best-of-three matches, with the top three teams from each group advancing to the single elimination playoffs.

The group winners advance directly to the semifinals, while the runners-up and third-place teams go into the quarterfinals as high and low seeds respectively.

Quarterfinal and semifinal matches are best-of-three, while the grand final is a best-of-five series.

IEM Cologne 2024 schedule

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The tournament takes place from August 7 to 18, 2024.

IEM COLOGNE 2024 STAGE	SCHEDULE
Play-in	August 7-9
Group stage	August 10-13
Playoffs	August 16-18