Following the conclusion of the Group Stage, which left us some upsets like Team Falcons, G2 Esports, and FaZe Clan's eliminations, it's now the time to start talking about the decisive round: the playoffs.
With the winner taking home a staggering USD$400,000, and with no more second chances, every match matters. So, here's a look at the IEM Cologne Playoffs bracket, and what to expect from the final stage of the competition.
IEM Cologne Playoffs bracket
The IEM Cologne Playoffs bracket will start on August 1, 2025, with the quarterfinal matches. These will include MOUZ, FURIA Esports, Natus Vincere, and The MongolZ.
The first match of the quarterfinals will be the series between The MongolZ and Natus Vincere. While, historically, Natus Vincere have been the better team, it's fair to say The MongolZ head to the series with a better momentum. The team's second-place finish at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 and the fact that they have only lost against Team Vitality so far in Cologne are some examples that indicate the Asian roster is heading to the series in good shape.
Meanwhile, Natus Vincere head to this game after a narrow 2-1 victory against FaZe Clan, a 0-2 defeat against MOUZ, and back-to-back wins against Ninjas in Pyjamas and FaZe Clan as they reached the Playoffs through the Lower Bracket. The winner of the clash between Natus Vincere and The MongolZ will play against Team Spirit for a chance to reach the grand final.
Last but not least, FURIA Esports and MOUZ will face off in what will be the Black Panther's second consecutive Playoff appearance. The team had to perform a magical Lower Bracket run as the roster's initial 0-2 defeat against G2 Esports was followed by wins against Astralis, Team Falcons, and, curiously enough, G2 Esports once again. It will be the Brazilian-majority roster's chance to redeem themselves after their harsh 1-2 defeat against paiN Gaming in Austin last month.
However, the favorites to take the win are MOUZ. The European mix have had a great 2025 as they won the PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, came in second at the ESL Pro League Season 21, the BLAST Open Spring 2025, and the IEM Dallas 2025, the three grand final defeats against Team Vitality, and a Top 4 finish at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 — once again against the Bees.
In Cologne, MOUZ have also been really solid, with back-to-back 2-0 wins against Team Liquid and Natus Vincere, and a really close match against Team Spirit, which ended in a 1-2 defeat for MOUZ after two overtime matches — a 13-16 loss on Ancient and a 22-19 win on Mirage.
The winner of the series between MOUZ and FURIA Esports will play against Team Vitality in the semifinals. Logically, the Bees are the favorites to win this year's IEM Cologne, not just because they are the current champions, but also because they have won the last three IEM tournaments (Katowice, Melbourne, and Dallas) as well as the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025.
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