In light of recent announcements, there is growing speculation that IEM Cologne 2026 could mark the beginning of the Major season in the esports world. The buzz started when ESL revealed its event schedule for 2026, leaving a noticeable gap during the traditional July-August timeframe that has long been reserved for the prestigious Cologne event.
Further fueling the speculation, a recent episode of HLTV Confirmed featured Chad 'SPUNJ' Burchill hinting at insider knowledge regarding the next few Major hosts. According to Burchill, the identities of the upcoming Major organizers have been circulating behind the scenes, indicating that the transition of IEM Cologne to Major status was not as secretive as some may have thought. Milan 'Striker' Svejda from HLTV hinted at Valve's new event announcement requirements, suggesting that IEM Cologne's absence from the schedule may indicate a significant shift in its status.
The possible transformation of IEM Cologne to a Major event has raised many questions within the esports community. Although Valve's new regulations require advanced event announcements, it appears that these rules do not apply to Majors, creating an air of uncertainty around the fate of IEM Cologne 2026. While ESL could have rescheduled the event, the timing does not align with any existing tournament dates, leading to speculations of a potential cancellation or a major upgrade for the event.
With the rumored dates for the first Major of 2026 set for June 8 to June 21, many are looking towards ESL's event calendar for confirmation. In addition to the possible elevation of IEM Cologne, the already confirmed BLAST Austin 2025 and the rumored StarLadder Budapest 2025, initially leaked by Richard Lewis and later supported by Sheep Esports, add to the anticipation surrounding the upcoming Major competitions.
