IEM Cologne Play-In and Group Stage Teams

CS:GO soon begins its next major tournament in Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne after ESL’s partnerships with Intel. Today, the CS:GO esports teams participating in the play-in and group stage were revealed for IEM Cologne 2021.

The play-in stage for #IEM Cologne is looking spicy! ?️

We have some fantastic teams who will battle it out and fight to earn a spot in the group stage!

See the full details here ⤵️https://t.co/iihYyIGBMA pic.twitter.com/QrpFOoyyYN

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) June 25, 2021

Play-In and Group Stage Teams

Currently, there are 16 teams waiting to compete in the double-bracket play-ins for a shot at making it into the group stage. Eight matches take place in the Round of 16. After that, eight quarterfinal matches take place with eight winners when counting the lower bracket. Finally, these last eight winners from play-ins upper and lower brackets can get back to the main IEM Cologne Group Stage. Although they still have a long journey in the main stages of Group A and Group B.

Every one of these 16 teams worked hard to get this far. But some like Ninjas in Pyjamas may go further than expected with Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz. Other rosters like MIBR, FaZe Clan, and mousesports consistently see success in CS:GO tournaments. Those in the IEM Cologne Play-In Stage include:

• Ninjas in Pyjamas
• LDLC OL
• Bad News Bears
• mousesports
• Team Spirit
• MIBR
• Renegades
• Team Vitality
• OG
• Team oNe eSports
• Sprout
• BIG
• Evil Geniuses
• FaZe Clan
• Complexity
• ViCi Gaming

Group Stage teams already saw success in recent CS:GO esports events and immediately placed into either A or B.

Group A

• Gambit Esports
• Team Liquid
• Virtus.pro
• G2 Esports

Group B

• Natus Vincere
• FURIA Esports
• Astralis
• Heroic

In the group stages the there are eight teams waiting!

Group A@GambitEsports @TeamLiquidCS @virtuspro @G2esports

Group B@natusvincere @FURIA @AstralisCS @heroicgg

The entire top 15 of the #ESLWorldRanking will be in Cologne! ? pic.twitter.com/cF5O4egMzL

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) June 25, 2021

IEM Cologne 2021

The entire IEM Cologne 2021 Play-In stage runs over two days between July 6 and July 7. As for Group Stage, the games here will be fierce and go from July 8 to July 11. Lastly, the IEM Cologne playoffs start on July 16 between the six best CS:GO esports teams from the group stage. The tournament’s winner and best-of-five grand finals are on July 18 at 7 PM PST. Since this tournament is hosted with a variety of organizers, winners earn cash prizes, ESL Pro Tour points, and BLAST Premier points. Who will come out on top as the next best international CS:GO team?

Written by Justin Amin

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