Everything you need to know about the Counter-Strike Majors

The Majors use the active CS2 map pool, defined and updated by Valve. For the Cologne Major 2026 IEM, the pool includes the following 7 maps:

These maps have been selected by Valve for their competitive balance. Teams use a veto system (ban/pick) before each match to choose which map(s) they will compete on - an important strategic dimension, especially during BO3 or BO5 matches.

The next Major is the IEM Cologne Major 2026, which takes place from June 2-21, 2026 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany. It's the return of the Major to this iconic city, ten years after the last Major played there in 2016.

The schedule of future Majors confirmed by Valve:

Following IEM Cologne 2026, the circuit will continue with the PGL Singapore Major 2026 (November 25 - December 13, 2026) - a historic edition that will mark the first time a Counter-Strike Major has been held in Southeast Asia.

Astralis holds the record with four Majors titles (Atlanta 2017, London 2018, Katowice 2019, Berlin 2019), including three in a row - a feat never equalled. Team Vitality now has 3 Majors (Paris 2023, Austin 2025, Budapest 2025) and is looking to match this record at the IEM Cologne 2026. Fnatic also has 3 titles.

Since 2016, two Majors have been held each year - one in the middle of the year (summer) and one at the end of the year (autumn/winter). Before 2016, there were up to three Majors per season.

Since the 2014 Katowice Major, each participating team has had an official sticker in the game, and since Cologne 2015, each player has had his own signature sticker. These stickers come in several finishes: paper, glitter, holographic, foil and gold - each type having its own rarity and value on the market.

Major stickers are only available in capsules that can be purchased during the tournament (Contenders, Challengers and Legends capsules depending on team status). Each time a sticker is purchased, 50 percent of the revenue goes to the players or teams, and 50 percent goes to Valve.

Once the tournament is over, the capsules are no longer available for official sale. This enforced rarity explains their increasing value over time: a holographic "Titan" sticker from Katowice 2014 sold for $80,000 in 2023 on the secondary market - the most expensive sticker trade in the game's history. Souvenir skins (gun skins with player signatures distributed during games) are also among the most sought-after items: after the 2018 Boston Major, a Cloud9 MVP souvenir skin sold for $61,000.

The Swiss system is the group format used at every stage of the Majors since 2017. 16 teams compete according to their win/loss record: a team with two wins will play another team with two wins. To advance to the next stage, three wins are required. Three defeats = elimination. Matches are played in BO1 (best-of-one) for the first few rounds, then in BO3 from the third round onwards.

Yes, Valve can ban players from the Majors for two main reasons:

These bans are decided by Valve and can be permanent, sometimes ending the careers of top professional players.

This is one of the least known but most important rules of the Majors: at Valve, the spot in the Major belongs to the players, not to the organisation.

If a team qualifies for a Major but its players leave for another organisation before the tournament, it is the players' new team that inherits the spot - not the former.

Case in point: at the 2017 ELEAGUE Major, Team EnVyUs qualified for the next Major. But before that next Major, three of their players joined G2 Esports - as a result, EnVyUs lost their spot, which reverted to the transferred players.

This rule has practical implications for transfers during the qualification period and is one of the features that sets the Major circuit apart from all other esport competitions.

Pick'ems are a prediction system integrated directly into CS2, available during each Major. Players predict which teams will advance or be eliminated in each phase of the tournament (Opening Stage, Elimination Stage, and Playoffs).

How it works:

Pick'ems can be accessed via the Viewer Pass, a pass you can buy in CS2 that gives you access to Pick'ems, cosmetic rewards (patches, sticker capsules) and allows you to follow the tournament directly from the game. Part of the revenue from the Viewer Pass is donated to the participating teams.