IEM Cologne 2023IEM Cologne teams, format, schedule, talent, prizes
One of the most prestigious tournaments on the calendar is around the corner. Here's everything you need to know about it.
IEM Cologne has been a staple on the Counter-Strike calendar for the past decade, consistently bringing together the best teams in the world competing for one of the most prestigious trophies since it hosted three consecutive Majors in 2014-2016. This year it once again promises to bring two weeks of top tier action, but this time with a special flair, for the first time taking place in the latter half of the season.
Unlike before when the tournament used to close out the first half of the year, this year's iteration follows an especially active off-season and, with just six teams unchanged from before the player break, brings with it some fresh air. The BLAST members showcased their new players at the Fall Groups already over the past two weeks, but there are a plethora others whom we will see for the first time on LAN with new lineups in Cologne.
Cloud9 sit on top of that list with expectations high following the blockbuster additions of Denis "electroNic" Sharipov and Ilya "Perfecto" Zalutskiy. BLAST.tv Paris Major surprises GamerLegion, Into the Breach, Apeks, and Monte also come with altered lineups, having lost key talent to other teams over the break. MOUZ, FURIA, and fnatic opted for changes with hopes of improving their lineups over the break and will test their might for the first time this week, as will Imperial and The MongolZ.
You can find all the 24 teams and their distribution between the Play-in and Main event stages, and everything else about the event below:
Participating teams and format
Sixteen teams have been invited to the Play-in stage to play for eight spots in the main event over the course of the first three days of play (July 26-28). This will be played in a double-elimination format with the first round of matches in best-of-one affairs and the rest in best-of-threes.
Play-in
Eight teams advancing from the Play-in will join eight more invited directly to the main event, which will begin with two double-elimination groups. The top three teams from each group will move on to the playoffs, played in front of a sold-out LANXESS Arena, with the top side making it directly to the semis and the second and third-placed teams to the quarter-finals.
Group stage
Schedule
Play-in
| Date | Matches | |
|---|---|---|
| IEM Cologne 2023 Play-in | ||
| 26/07/2023 |
14:30
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
14:30
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
15:50
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
16:15
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
17:30
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
18:10
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
18:45
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
19:40
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
20:10
|
Match |
| 26/07/2023 |
21:00
|
Match |
| 27/07/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 27/07/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 27/07/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 27/07/2023 |
16:35
|
Match |
| 27/07/2023 |
19:40
|
Match |
| 27/07/2023 |
20:45
|
Match |
| 28/07/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 28/07/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 28/07/2023 |
19:30
|
Match |
| 28/07/2023 |
19:55
|
Match |
Group stage
| Date | Matches | |
|---|---|---|
| IEM Cologne 2023 | ||
| 29/07/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 29/07/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 29/07/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 29/07/2023 |
16:45
|
Match |
| 29/07/2023 |
19:50
|
Match |
| 29/07/2023 |
20:50
|
Match |
| 30/07/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 30/07/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 30/07/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 30/07/2023 |
16:40
|
Match |
| 30/07/2023 |
19:30
|
Match |
| 30/07/2023 |
20:30
|
Match |
| 31/07/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 31/07/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 31/07/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 31/07/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 31/07/2023 |
19:30
|
Match |
| 31/07/2023 |
20:10
|
Match |
| 01/08/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 01/08/2023 |
12:30
|
Match |
| 01/08/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 01/08/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
| 01/08/2023 |
20:15
|
Match |
| 01/08/2023 |
20:25
|
Match |
Playoffs
| Date | Matches | |
|---|---|---|
| IEM Cologne 2023 | ||
| 04/08/2023 |
15:30
|
Match |
| 04/08/2023 |
19:10
|
Match |
| 05/08/2023 |
15:30
|
Match |
| 05/08/2023 |
20:10
|
Match |
| 06/08/2023 |
16:00
|
Match |
Broadcast talent
A team of 22 talent members will bring you the action as ESL will run a two-stream setup for most of the competition:
Desk hosts
Tres "stunna" Saranthus
Freya "Freya" Spiers
Sam "Tech Girl" Wright
Analysts
Janko "YNk" Paunović
Mathieu "Maniac" Quiquerez
Sudhen "Bleh" Wahengbam
Jacob "Pimp" Winneche
Casters
Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill
Conner "Scrawny" Girvan
Sideline and stage hosts
Eefje "sjokz" Depoortere
Prize distribution
The $1 million total prize purse will be distributed among all 24 participating teams in the following fashion:
1. $400,000
2. $180,000
3-4. $80,000
5-6. $40,000
7-8. $24,000
9-12. $16,000
13-16. $10,000
17-20. $4,500
21-24. $2,500
HLTV on-site coverage
HLTV will field a team of four in Cologne who will bring you full on-site coverage of the tournament in photos, social media updates, post-match comments with the players and more in-depth interviews: Lucas "LucasAM" Aznar Miles, Harry "NER0" Richards, Radosław "MAKKU" Makuch, and Josip "brcho" Brtan.
David 'frozen' Čerňanský
Ádám 'torzsi' Torzsás
Jimi 'Jimpphat' Salo
Dorian 'xertioN' Berman
Mareks 'YEKINDAR' Gaļinskis
Aleks 'Rainwaker' Petrov
Sanzhar 'neaLaN' Iskhakov
Sebastian 'volt' Maloș
Justinas 'jL' Lekavicius
Dion 'FASHR' Derksen Aleksandar 'kassad' Trifunović
Joakim 'jkaem' Myrbostad
Aleksandar 'CacaNito' Kjulukoski
Alex 'Mauisnake' Ellenberg
James 'BARDOLPH' Bardolph
Pavle 'Maden' Bošković
Álvaro 'SunPayus' García Mohan 'launders' Govindasamy
Adam 'NEOFRAG' Zouhar
Gustavo 'Juve' Alexandre
Robin 'ropz' Kool
Aurélien 'afro' Drapier
Mathieu 'Maniac' Quiquerez
Nikola 'NiKo' Kovač
Simon 'Sico' Williams
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