The Cathedral of Counter-Strike. That’s what fans call the LANXESS Arena in Cologne, Germany, and for good reason. Below you’ll find every one of the IEM Cologne winners since 2014, plus the MVPs, prize pools, and the moments that turned this tournament into one of the most prestigious trophies in CS.
Whether you’re chasing history for a bet, a bar argument, or just for the love of the game, this is the definitive rundown.
What Is IEM Cologne?
IEM Cologne (formerly ESL One Cologne) is ESL’s flagship summer Counter-Strike event, held annually at the LANXESS Arena. It ran as a Valve-sponsored Major twice — in 2014 and 2015 — before evolving into a standalone S-Tier tournament that many players call “the unofficial third Major.”
Its prestige rivals all CSGO Major winners, and the German crowd is famously electric. Winning here means something.
Complete List of IEM Cologne Winners by Year
Below is a complete IEM Cologne Winners List (main event era) including the champion, runner-up, MVP, and total prize pool.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | MVP | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Ninjas in Pyjamas | Fnatic | GeT_RiGhT | $250,000 |
| 2015 | Fnatic | Team EnVyUs | olofmeister | $250,000 |
| 2016 | SK Gaming | Team Liquid | coldzera | $1,000,000 |
| 2017 | SK Gaming | Cloud9 | coldzera | $300,000 |
| 2018 | NAVI | Astralis | s1mple | $300,000 |
| 2019 | Team Liquid | Vitality | ZywOo | $300,000 |
| 2020 | No Overall Champion (Regional Event) | — | — | $500,000 (Regional Split) |
| 2021 | NAVI | G2 Esports | s1mple | $1,000,000 |
| 2022 | FaZe Clan | NAVI | s1mple | $1,000,000 |
| 2023 | G2 Esports | ENCE | m0NESY | $1,000,000 |
| 2024 | Team Vitality | NAVI | ZywOo | $1,000,000 |
| 2025 | Team Spirit | MOUZ | donk | $1,250,000 |
| 2026 | Team Falcons | FURIA | NiKo | $1,250,000 |
(2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19 and replaced by the online IEM Cologne Online.)
The Major Era (2014–2015)
2014 — Ninjas in Pyjamas
The first ESL One Cologne was a Valve Major with a $250,000 prize pool. NiP beat fnatic 2–1 in the grand final, powered by a legendary GeT_RiGhT MVP performance. This event’s souvenirs — including the esl one cologne 2014 nuke souvenir package skins — are still coveted by collectors.
2015 — fnatic
Cologne 2015 was pure fnatic dominance. olofmeister put on a historical show, sweeping through the bracket and beating NiP 2–1 in the final. The event minted the 2015 esl one cologne souvenir drops that remain some of the most iconic in CS history.
The Post-Major Era (2016–2019)
2016 — SK Gaming
The prize pool exploded to $1,000,000. Brazilian powerhouse SK Gaming (formerly Luminosity) beat Team Liquid 2–0. coldzera cemented himself as the world’s best player with another MVP.
2017 — SK Gaming (again)
SK went back-to-back, defeating FaZe Clan 2–1 in the final. fer took MVP honors. It was the second consecutive Cologne title for the core Brazilian lineup — a rare feat.
2018 — Natus Vincere
NAVI ended a long trophy drought with a 3–1 win over hometown heroes BIG. s1mple was untouchable, dropping the kind of AWP performances that made awp skins the most coveted items in trading circles.
2019 — Team Liquid
Liquid’s Grand Slam year. They beat Vitality 3–2 in a nail-biter, with EliGE claiming MVP. It capped off one of the most dominant six-month runs any NA team has ever had.
The Modern Era (2021–2025)
2021 — Natus Vincere
After the 2020 cancellation, Cologne returned with a $1,000,000 pot. NAVI beat G2 3–0, with s1mple winning his second Cologne MVP. This kicked off NAVI’s historic 2021 run that ended with the PGL Stockholm Major title.
2022 — FaZe Clan
FaZe completed the “Intel Grand Slam-worthy” year. broky took MVP as FaZe beat NAVI 3–0 in the final — revenge for their earlier struggles against the Ukrainian squad.
2023 — G2
G2 added a second premier trophy to their 2023 campaign by winning IEM Cologne, following their earlier triumph at IEM Katowice. While they didn’t dominate every match or cruise through the tournament, the team consistently found ways to overcome tough opponents. Their resilience and ability to perform in high-pressure moments made them one of the strongest title contenders throughout the season.
2024 — Vitality
Although Team Vitality faced an inconsistent season, they delivered when it mattered most by winning IEM Cologne 2024. The victory filled one of the last major gaps in the trophy collections of apEX and ZywOo, bringing both players closer to claiming every prestigious Counter-Strike title. With Vitality falling short of defending their championship in 2025, their Cologne 2024 triumph has become an even more significant milestone in the team’s history and the careers of its star players.
2025 — Spirit
Team Spirit claimed the IEM Cologne 2025 title, becoming the tournament’s reigning champions at the time. The victory marked another major milestone for donk, who secured one of Counter-Strike’s most prestigious trophies less than two years after breaking into the Tier 1 scene. By adding Cologne to his growing list of accomplishments, he further established himself as one of the game’s brightest young stars.
2026 — Falcons
IEM Cologne 2026 carried even greater significance as it served as both a Major Championship and the iconic Cologne event. Team Falcons rose to the occasion, capturing their first-ever Counter-Strike Major title while giving NiKo the Major trophy that had eluded him throughout his career. Ahead of the tournament, Falcons made a bold roster move by signing karrigan, and the veteran’s leadership proved to be a decisive factor in their historic championship run.
Which Team Has Won IEM Cologne the Most?
Natus Vincere leads the pack with 2 titles & 1 Runner-up (2018, 2021). SK Gaming (2016, 2017) is the only other team with multiple wins.
Here’s the tally:
- NAVI: 2
- SK Gaming: 2
- NiP, fnatic, FaZe, Liquid, G2, Vitality, Spirit, Falcons: 1 each
MVPs to Remember
A few names appear more than once in the Cologne MVP history books:
- s1mple — 2 MVPs (2018, 2021)
- coldzera — 1 MVP (2016), but also a Cologne 2017 champion
- GeT_RiGhT, olofmeister, fer, EliGE, broky, HObbit, w0nderful, ZywOo — one MVP each
If you’re building a case for the greatest Cologne player of all time, s1mple’s two MVPs plus NAVI’s two titles is a very strong argument.
Souvenir Skins: The Collector’s Angle
Both Major-era Cologne events produced souvenir packages that are now trading gold. If you collect tournament memorabilia, check out the all souvenir packages archive — the esl one cologne 2015 cache souvenir package skins and cologne 2016 overpass souvenir package skins contain some of the rarest StatTrak drops in the game.
Team stickers from these events — like the fnatic cologne 2015 capsule — have also skyrocketed as veteran rosters retire.
Why IEM Cologne Matters
Even without Major status, Cologne holds elite prestige because:
- The venue: LANXESS Arena holds ~15,000 fans
- The crowd: German fans are famously loud and knowledgeable
- The prize pool: Consistently $1M since 2016
- The history: Two Majors were played here
Winning in Cologne isn’t just another trophy — it’s a career-defining moment. That’s why every ZywOo, s1mple, or coldzera clip from the LANXESS stage becomes an instant highlight reel.
Final Thoughts
The list of IEM Cologne winners is a who’s who of CS legends — NiP, fnatic, SK, NAVI, Liquid, FaZe, Cloud9, and Vitality. Each champion earned their place in the Cathedral, and each MVP added a chapter to Counter-Strike history.
Want to grab a piece of that history? Browse the full all tournaments collection on cs2.ad and pick up souvenirs from your favorite Cologne era. For more esports history breakdowns, check out our cs2 update log to stay current with the competitive scene.
