IEM Cologne 2023 is almost here and Europe’s biggest CS:GO tournament of 2023 is set to be watched by thousands of people around the world. There are 24 of the best CS: GO teams fighting for that all-important EPT Championship. Last year, FaZe Clan won this prestigious tournament — and there’s a strong possibility they’ll win it again in 2023 and become back-to-back IEM Cologne Champions.
If you’re planning on watching IEM Cologne 2023, then you’ve come to the right place. Here, you can discover everything you need to know about the event, from the schedule to the format and the teams that are going to be playing there.
What is IEM Cologne 2023?
Started in 2006 by Electronic Sports League (ESL), the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) is a series of global CS:GO esports events held in different countries. In 2023 alone, there were many of these events taking place, including:
- Intel Extreme Masters Fall 2023
- Intel Extreme Masters Dallas 2023
- Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023
Each tournament offers different prizes. Usually, the prizes involve money and spots in future tournaments, too.
In this guide, the focus is on the IEM Cologne 2023, which is Europe’s biggest and most popular CS:GO event.
Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 (Guide)
From July 26 to August 6, the Intel Extreme Masters will take place in Cologne, Germany.
Here, live audiences will be able to enjoy the action as some of the top CS:GO teams face off against each other. Some of these teams include big names such as G2 Esports, FazE Clan, and Team Vitality. Team Vitality recently confirmed their place after successfully winning IEM Rio 2023 (which also got them a huge $250,000 in prize money). IEM Cologne 2023 will feature a total of 24 teams that will go through three stages to get to the grand final.
Where to Watch Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023?
Before you even realize it, the IEMCologne 2023 will be here. But where can you watch this awesome event? The good news is that IEM Cologne can be easily streamed online via:
- Twitch (ESL_CSGO)
- YouTube (@esl)
You don’t need an account on YouTube or Twitch to watch IEM Cologne 2023. For maximum fun, though, it’s recommended that you download the Twitch and YouTube apps, create accounts for both of them, and then turn on notifications for the channels listed above. This way, you can get notified as soon as any matches from IEM Cologne go live.
How to Buy Tickets for Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023
To buy tickets for IEM Cologne 2023, all you have to do is visit eslgaming.com. The following ticket types are available:
- Single day
- Weekend Regular
- Premium
- Weekend Plus
- God Mode Lounge
God Mode Lounge tickets are currently $1,000+ dollars but come with a ton of awesome perks and benefits, such as behind-the-scenes access and a backstage tour. If you’re a diehard CS:GO fan, then you might want to treat yourself to a God Mode Lounge ticket.
Place Your Bets on Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023
Like most CS:GO betting fans, you’ll probably want to join in the esports betting trend by placing bets on your favorite CS:GO teams at IEM Cologne 2023.
So, how can you do this? Simple — use Thunderpick.
Both before and during the event, you can place bets on IEM Cologne 2023. For example, if FaZe Clan goes up against Team Vitality, then you can place a bet on which team you think is going to win.
The best part about using Thunderpick for esports betting is that you can bet with cryptocurrency.
Crypto esports betting has exploded in popularity in recent years, as you now see thousands of people placing Bitcoin bets (and other types of crypto bets) when big CS:GO events like IEM Cologne 2023 are taking place.
Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023: Teams
All of the teams for IEM Cologne 2023 have now been confirmed.
The Directly Qualified Teams are:
- G2 Esports
- FaZe Clan
- Team Vitality
- ENCE
- Heroic
- Cloud9
- Natus Vincere
- GamerLegion
The Play-in Teams are:
- MOUZ
- Apeks
- 9INE
- Furia Esports
- Team Liquid
- Imperial Sports
- The MongolZ
- Grayhound Gaming
- Fnatic
- Monte
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Astralis
- Into the Breach
- Complexity Gaming
- OG
- BIG
Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023: Format
The format of Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 will work like this:
Play-In: July 25 – July 26
The first stage of IEM Cologne 2023 is the play-in stage. This is where teams compete to make it to Groups A and B in the Group Stage. It’s a double elimination bracket starting with Bo1 and following this is a Bo3. The top eight teams will then proceed to the Group Stage.
Group Stage: July 27 – July 30
Here, the competition will start to heat up a little bit. The best teams from the play-in will advance to the Group Stage and be put into either Group A or Group B based on their rankings. Teams that are successful in the Group Stage will then make it through to the big money Playoffs. All matches played are Bo3.
Playoffs
The Playoffs feature the teams that finished highest in Groups A and B. There are the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then the Grand Final. The winner of the Grand Final will solidify a spot at IEM Katowice 2024. All matches here are Bo3, with the Grand Final being Bo5.
Who Will Win Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023?
G2 Esports, FaZe Clan, and Team Vitality are all in with a great shot at winning. After winning IEM Rio 2023, you’d be crazy not to think that Team Vitality could go all the way — so expect them to be listed as one of the top picks when the betting odds are released by Thunderpick.