The first day of IEM Cologne Stage 1 ended without any surprises, and now the pairings for the second day, which will include qualifying and elimination matches, have been determined. This day will be decisive for many teams fighting for a place in the Stage 2 group stage. Among the most anticipated matches are FaZe vs Liquid and FURIA vs Astralis, which will determine who will continue on to the next stage.

Qualifying matches: The battle for Stage 2

The second day of competition will begin with key qualifying matches. On Thursday at 2:30 p.m., GamerLegion will face Virtus.pro, where it will be decided which of these teams will get a chance at Stage 2. At 5:00 p.m., 3DMAX will test the strength of Ninjas in Pyjamas, and at 7:30 p.m., one of the central matches of the day will take place — FaZe against Liquid. This match promises to be intense, as both teams are demonstrating a high level of play. On Friday at 2:30 p.m., Astralis will face FURIA, adding intrigue to the competition. These matches will be a real test for the teams, and fans are eagerly awaiting to see how events unfold.

Elimination matches: The fight for survival

At the same time, elimination matches will take place, where teams will fight for their continued participation in the tournament. On Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Complexity will try to hold out against TYLOO, the champions of FISSURE Playground 1, in a match that will decide the team's fate in Germany. At 5:00 p.m., B8 will face FlyQuest, and at 7:30 p.m., MIBR will test HEROIC. On Friday at 2:30 p.m., BIG, playing at their home tournament, will fight for survival against paiN in a tense match that could be decisive for their future path.

Match schedule

Here is the full schedule of qualifying and elimination matches for the second day of IEM Cologne Stage 1:

Qualification (for Stage 2):

• 24/07/2025, 2:30 p.m. — GamerLegion vs. Virtus.pro
• 24/07/2025, 17:00 — 3DMAX vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas
• 24/07/2025, 19:30 — FaZe vs. Liquid
• 25/07/2025, 14:30 — Astralis vs. FURIA

Elimination (for survival):

• 24/07/2025, 14:30 — Complexity vs. TYLOO
• 24/07/2025, 17:00 — B8 vs. FlyQuest
• 24/07/2025, 19:30 — MIBR vs. HEROIC
• 25/07/2025, 14:30 — BIG vs. paiN

These matches will be a real test for the teams, and fans are eagerly awaiting to see how events unfold. The community is actively discussing the chances of the favorites and dark horses, hoping for unexpected twists. Of particular interest are the matchups between FaZe and Liquid and FURIA and Astralis, which could determine the further course of the tournament.

IEM Cologne 2025 is taking place from July 23 to August 3 in Germany. The tournament's prize pool is $1,000,000. You can follow all the news, schedule, and results via this link.