G2 win IEM Cologne 2023: Final placements and recap

Helena Kristiansson/ESL

IEM Cologne 2023 has come to a close, with G2 Esports winning the title after besting ENCE in the final. Read our recap of the tournament and find all the results and placements here.

The ‘Cathedral of Counter-Strike’ has bid farewell to CS:GO.

Since 2015, the LANXESS arena has been the stage of many legendary bouts that will forever live in Counter-Strike lore. But this year was special: IEM Cologne 2023 was the last edition of the event to feature CS:GO as the esport is poised to make a slow transition to Counter-Strike 2, which will be released sometime in the summer.

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This year’s tournament may not have lived up to the lofty standards set by the 2022 event, which culminated in a nail-biting five-map final between FaZe and NAVI, but it still had its fair share of excitement, especially as a number of teams debuted their new rosters, most notably Cloud9.

In the end, it was G2 who ran out victors after beating ENCE 3-1 in the grand final, capping off a fantastic run that saw them lose just three maps and that also included victories over FaZe, Vitality and Astralis.

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Shortly after the final, tournament MVP Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač said that winning Cologne does ease the pain of not winning a Major title in CS:GO. “This trophy definitely makes my career look a bit better,” the Bosnian superstar said. “Even though there is no Major, at least now there’s Cologne.”

The victory shows that G2’s decision to keep the same roster after the failed BLAST Paris Major run was the right call. Many had called for the team to cut ties with Rasmus ‘HooXi’ Nielsen, but G2 opted to give the Danish IGL one more chance. While most teams switched players during the off-season, G2 were rewarded for their patience. They have become the third team in history to win Katowice and Cologne in the same year, after Fnatic (2015) and FaZe (2022).

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Below is everything you need to know about IEM Cologne 2023.


IEM Cologne 2023: Dates and format

The tournament took place from July 26 through August 6. The Play-In Stage and the group stage were held behind closed doors, while the playoff matches took place at the LANXESS arena in front of a crowd.

Play-In (July 26-28)

  • 16-team double-elimination bracket
  • Opening round is BO1, the rest is BO3
  • 8 teams move on to the group stage

Group Stage (July 29-August 1)

  • Two double-elimination groups of eight teams
  • All matches are BO3
  • Top three teams per group advance to the playoffs

Playoff Stage (August 4-6)

  • Single-elimination bracket with group winners in the semi-finals
  • Quarter-finals and semi-finals are BO3, grand final is BO5

IEM Cologne 2023: Final placements and results

Placement Team Prize Money (USD)
1 G2 Esports $400,000
2 ENCE $180,000
3-4 Astralis $80,000
Vitality
5-6 Heroic $40,000
Cloud9
7-8 NAVI $24,000
GamerLegion
9-12 FaZe $16,000
MOUZ
fnatic
Monte
13-16 OG $10,000
NIP
9INE
TheMongolz
17-20 Apeks $4,500
Imperial
Liquid
FURIA
21-24 Complexity $2,500
BIG
Grayhound
Into the Breach

Playoffs (August 4-6)

Day 1: August 4

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Quarter-Finals Cloud9 0-2 Vitality 6:30 AM 9:30 AM 2:30 PM
Quarter-Finals Heroic 0-2 Astralis 10 AM 1 PM 6 PM

Day 2: August 5

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Semi-Finals ENCE 2-1 Vitality 6:30 AM 9:30 AM 2:30 PM
Semi-Finals G2 2-0 Astralis 10 AM 1 PM 6 PM

Day 3: August 6

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Grand Final ENCE 1-3 G2 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM

Group Stage (July 29-August 1)

Group A Group B
Heroic Vitality
GamerLegion NAVI
Cloud9 G2
ENCE FaZe
Fnatic MOUZ
Monte Astralis
TheMongolz OG
9INE NIP

Day 1: July 29

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Round 1 Cloud9 1-2 Fnatic 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Upper Round 1 GamerLegion 0-2 Monte 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Upper Round 1 G2 2-1 Astralis 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Upper Round 1 ENCE 2-1 9INE 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Upper Round 1 Heroic 21 TheMongolz 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM
Upper Round 1 NAVI 0-2 MOUZ 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM

Day 2: July 30

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Round 1 Vitality 2-0 OG 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Lower Round 1 Cloud9 2-1 9INE 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Upper Round 1 FaZe 2-1 NIP 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Upper Round 2 Fnatic 0-2 ENCE 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Upper Round 2 Monte 0-2 Heroic 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM
Lower Round 1 GamerLegion 2-1 TheMongolz 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM

Day 3: July 31

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Round 2 MOUZ 0-2 Vitality 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Lower Round 1 Astralis 2-0 NIP 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Lower Round 1 NAVI 2-1 OG 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Upper Round 2 G2 2-0 FaZe 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Lower Round 2 GamerLegion 2-1 Fnatic 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM
Lower Round 2 Cloud9 2-0 Monte 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM

Day 4: August 1

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Lower Round 2 FaZe 0-2 NAVI 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Lower Round 2 MOUZ 0-2 Astralis 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Lower Final Cloud9 2-1 GamerLegion 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Upper Final Vitality 1-2 G2 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Lower Final NAVI 1-2 Astralis 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM
Upper Final ENCE 2-1 Heroic 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM

Play-In (July 26-28)

Day 1: July 26

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Round 1 MOUZ 22-19 TheMongolz 5:30 AM 8:30 AM 1:30 PM
Upper Round 1 Into the Breach 5-16 NIP 5:30 AM 8:30 AM 1:30 PM
Upper Round 1 fnatic 19-17 Complexity 6:45 AM 9:45 AM 2:45 PM
Upper Round 1 OG 17-19 9INE 6:45 AM 9:45 AM 2:45 PM
Upper Round 1 Monte 16-9 Imperial 8 AM 11 AM 4 PM
Upper Round 1 Astralis 16-10 Liquid 8 AM 11 AM 4 PM
Upper Round 1 Apeks 16-10 BIG 9:15 AM 12:15 PM 5:15 PM
Upper Round 1 Grayhound 11-16 FURIA 9:15 AM 12:15 PM 5:15 PM
Upper Round 2 MOUZ 2-0 NIP 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM
Upper Round 2 fnatic 2-0 9INE 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM

Day 2: July 27

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Upper Round 2 Astralis 2-1 Apeks 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Lower Round 1 Into the Breach 0-2 TheMongolz 3:30 AM 6:30 AM 11:30 AM
Lower Round 1 Liquid 2-1 BIG 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Lower Round 1 Imperial 2-1 Grayhound 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Upper Round 2 Monte 2-1 FURIA 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM
Lower Round 1 Complexity 0-2 OG 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM

Day 3: July 28

Stage Match PT ET GMT
Lower Round 2 TheMongolz 2-0 FURIA 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Lower Round 2 9INE 2-1 Liquid 7 AM 10 AM 3 PM
Lower Round 2 Apeks 0-2 OG 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM
Lower Round 2 Imperial 1-2 NIP 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM

IEM Cologne 2023: Teams and rosters

IEM Cologne featured 24 teams from all over the world, eight of which went straight to the group stage. The remaining 16 had to go through the Play-In stage, which determined the last eight sides entering the main tournament.

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Four group stage slots went to the winners of IEM Katowice, ESL Pro League Season 17, IEM Rio and IEM Dallas. The champion of ESL Meisterschaft, Germany’s main CS:GO league, got direct entry into the Play-In stage.

Group Stage teams

Team Qualified from Players
G2 Esports IEM Katowice NiKo, jks, HooXi, m0NESY, huNter-
FaZe ESL Pro League 17 karrigan, Twistzz, ropz, broky, rain
Vitality IEM Rio ZywOo, apEX, Magisk, Spinx, flameZ
ENCE IEM Dallas Snappi, SunPayus, dycha, maden, NertZ
Heroic ESL World Ranking cadiaN, stavn, Jabbi, sjuush, TeSeS
Cloud9 ESL World Ranking sh1ro, Ax1Le, HObbit, electroNic, Perfecto
NAVI ESL World Ranking s1mple, B1T, Aleksib, jL, iM
GamerLegion ESL World Ranking acoR, isak, Keoz, neaLaN, volt

Play-In teams

Team Region Players
MOUZ ESL World Ranking frozen,torzsi, xertioN, siuhy, Jimpphat
Apeks ESL World Ranking nawwk, jkaem, STYKO, kyxsan, CacaNito
9INE ESL World Ranking Goofy, Kylar, mynio, hades, KEi
FURIA ESL World Ranking yuurih, KSCERATO, arT, FalleN, chelo
Team Liquid ESL World Ranking oSee, YEKINDAR, NAF, Rainwaker, Patsi
Imperial ESL World Ranking  boltz, VINI, JOTA, HEN1, felps
The MongolZ ESL World Ranking Techno4K, bLitz, hasteka, 910, mzinho
Grayhound ESL World Ranking Sico, INS, Liazz, aliStair, Vexite
Fnatic ESL World Ranking mezii, roeJ, KRIMZ, afro, dexter
Complexity ESL World Ranking floppy, Grim, hallzerk, JT, EliGE
Monte ESL World Ranking sdy, Woro2k, DemQQ, kRaSnaL, br0
NIP ESL World Ranking REZ, Brollan, headtr1ck, k0nfig, hampus
OG ESL World Ranking nexa, regali, F1KU, k1to, FASHR
Into the Breach ESL World Ranking Thomas, CRUC1AL, rallen, Bymas, NEOFRAG
Astralis ESL World Ranking  dev1ce, blameF, Buzz, Staehr, b0RUP
BIG ESL Meisterschaft tabseN, Krimbo, S3NSEY, prosus, s1n