BetBoom and 9z changed the Cologne Major bracket

The BetBoom and 9z Cologne Major runs reached the same quarterfinal stage through different kinds of resistance. BetBoom became only the second team in Major history to advance through every competition stage, while 9z reached the playoffs in its first IEM Cologne appearance.

BetBoom’s route was built on survival

BetBoom arrived in Stage 3 after already navigating the earlier phases. It then beat The MongolZ and Falcons, lost to FURIA and Vitality, and defeated FUT in the 2–2 qualification match. Five Swiss series placed the team one loss from elimination twice, but it continued to find a workable map set.

9z turned an upset into a complete campaign

9z began Stage 3 with a 2–1 win over PARIVISION and followed by beating Vitality 2–1. Losses to Spirit and Aurora created the same 2–2 pressure, before a 2–0 victory over The MongolZ secured the organisation’s first Major playoff berth. The run mattered because the opening surprise was followed by enough control to survive the full bracket.

BetBoom and 9z Cologne Major quarterfinals

The arena ended both stories without making them identical. Aurora defeated BetBoom 2–0 in the first quarterfinal, denying the team another recovery series. 9z took a map from FURIA but lost 1–2. One exit showed the cost of falling behind in a single-elimination series; the other showed how close a debut playoff team could move toward the semifinal.

What the bracket learned

The two runs weakened the assumption that Stage 3 seeding would simply reproduce the pre-event ranking. Swiss competition rewards teams that can repeatedly solve opponents under changing records. Neither team won Cologne, but both forced favourites to prepare for lineups that had already survived more elimination pressure than most of the field.

Sources: primary tournament record and supporting tournament record. Scores, dates, format details and audience figures are attributed to the linked records; tactical interpretation is our own.

Read our Cologne Major final report, review the Cologne 2026 sticker update, or continue through the Kaizensclan archive.