On July 23, 2025, at 13:30 UTC, two formidable teams, FaZe and BIG, will face off in the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2025 Stage 1 Play-In. This best-of-3 series is part of the tournament’s upper bracket, promising intense competition as both teams vie for advancement. We have analyzed the statistics and the current form of the teams to make a prediction for the match outcome. Follow the match here.
Current form of the teams
FaZe, currently ranked 7th in the world (source), has shown a consistent performance over the past year. With a win rate of 61% overall, they have maintained a solid form despite a recent 0-win streak. Their recent half-year performance has dipped slightly to a 54% win rate. In their latest tournament, the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, FaZe secured a 5-8th place finish, earning $45,000. Their journey included victories against teams like The MongolZ and Legacy, though they faced a setback against Aurora and The MongolZ later on. Over the last six months, FaZe has accumulated $276,000 in earnings, placing them 8th in terms of financial success among their peers.
BIG, on the other hand, is ranked 33rd globally. Their recent performance has been less consistent, with a 53% win rate over the past half-year. They recently participated in the FISSURE Playground 1, finishing 9-12th and earning $10,000. During this event, they managed a notable win against HEROIC but suffered losses to Complexity and BetBoom. In the last six months, BIG has earned $137,875, ranking 19th in earnings among competitive teams.
Teams’ Map Pool
The map veto scenario for the upcoming match suggests FaZe will first ban Train, while BIG will remove Anubis. FaZe is expected to pick Ancient, a map where they hold a 63% win rate over the past six months, while BIG prefers Dust2, where they have a 47% win rate. The decider map is likely to be Nuke. Historical data shows FaZe banning Mirage and BIG banning Inferno in their strategies.
| Map | FaZe Winrate | M | B | Last 5 (FaZe) | BIG Winrate | M | B | Last 5 (BIG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anubis | 56% | 16 | 4 | W, L, W, W, L | 0% | 0 | 36 | FB, FB, FB, FB, FB |
| Mirage | 30% | 10 | 12 | L, L, FB, FB, L | 59% | 34 | 5 | W, L, L, W, L |
| Inferno | 56% | 9 | 15 | L, FB, FB, FB, FB | 41% | 22 | 8 | L, L, W, L, FB |
| Ancient | 63% | 19 | 4 | L, W, W, W, W | 50% | 38 | 7 | L, W, L, W, W |
| Nuke | 57% | 14 | 10 | L, FB, FB, FB, FB | 50% | 18 | 8 | W, L, W, W, L |
| Dust II | 50% | 16 | 7 | W, L, L, W, W | 47% | 19 | 5 | L, W, L, W, L |
| Train | 50% | 2 | 27 | FB, FB, FB, FB, FB | 50% | 10 | 18 | L, L, L, L, L |
Head-to-Head
In their last five encounters, FaZe has emerged victorious three times against BIG. Their most recent meeting on February 1, 2025, saw FaZe winning 2-1. BIG, however, has managed to secure wins in two of their past meetings, showcasing their ability to compete closely with FaZe. Map preferences in these encounters often saw BIG leaning towards Mirage and FaZe towards Ancient, reflecting their current veto tendencies.
Prediction
Based on current form, historical performance, and map pool statistics, FaZe is favored to win this match with a predicted score of 2:0. Their higher win rates on key maps and recent successes in tournaments suggest they have the edge over BIG. While BIG has potential to challenge, especially on maps like Dust2, FaZe’s robust map pool and strategic veto choices are likely to secure them the victory.
Prediction: FaZe 2:0 BIG
Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2025 takes place from July 23 to August 3 in Germany, featuring a prize pool of $1,250,000. You can follow the news, schedule, and results of the tournament via the link.
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