5 Records That Could Be Broken at IEM Cologne Major 2026

The biggest tournament of the season has already begun. The first teams at IEM Cologne Major 2026 have started writing a new chapter in Counter-Strike history, while the favorites are just about to join the fight for the most prestigious trophy of the year.

Every Major brings new storylines, unexpected heroes, and historic achievements. The Cologne Major will be no exception. We’ve picked five records that could be broken during this tournament, along with one storyline that might matter even more than statistics.

ZywOo could set a new MVP record at Majors, Vitality could tie Astralis in Major titles, A new oldest Major champion could be crowned, Zonic could become the first coach to win Majors with three different organizations, FalleN and fer could win a Major with a third organization, A story bigger than any record: NiKo’s first Major

ZywOo could set a new MVP record at Majors

For Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, this event is another chance to further distance himself from the rest of the field in the GOAT debate.

The French superstar already holds three MVP medals from the most important events in Counter-Strike history: BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, BLAST Austin Major 2025, and Budapest Major 2026. This is already an all-time record.

Across the entire history of CS, only legends like Nicolai “device” Reedtz and Marcelo “coldzera” David have managed to win more than one such award. If Vitality win the tournament again and ZywOo earns another MVP, he will extend his record to four Major MVPs.

Even more impressively, ZywOo could become the first player in history to win three consecutive Major MVPs. Given Vitality’s current form, this is far from unrealistic.

Vitality could tie Astralis in Major titles

Another historic milestone is within reach for Vitality. A victory in Cologne would bring them their fifth Major title, tying the legendary Astralis roster in total championships.

The team has repeatedly stated their ambition to prove that their era is just as dominant as Astralis’ golden period. As Shahar “flameZ” Shushan once said, the goal is to eliminate any debate about which era was stronger.

An additional historic note would go to Dan “apEX” Madesclaire. If Vitality win, he would become only the second player in CS history to win five Majors. The only other player to achieve this is Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen.

A new oldest Major champion could be crowned

Age has become less and less of a barrier in top-level Counter-Strike, and this tournament could see another record fall.

The current record belongs to apEX, who won a Major at 32 years and 296 days old. If Vitality lift the trophy again, he will become the first player to win a Major at the age of 33.

However, he is not the only contender. Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo (35) and Finn “karrigan” Andersen (36) are also in the running to become the oldest Major champions in history.

Other long-shot candidates include Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli from Aurora, Janusz “Snax” Pogorzelski (who recently turned 33), and Fernando “fer” Alvarenga, who is competing as a stand-in for Gaimin Gladiators.

Zonic could become the first coach to win Majors with three different organizations

The debate about the greatest coach in Counter-Strike history once seemed endless. Today, Danny “zonic” Sørensen has the opportunity to settle it further.

The Danish coach has already won Majors with Astralis and Vitality. Now, he is leading Falcons into Cologne.

If his team manages to go all the way, Zonic would become the first coach in history to win Majors with three different organizations.

It would be one of the most unique achievements in esports history and further solidify his legacy as one of the greatest minds the game has ever seen.

FalleN and fer could win a Major with a third organization

Another rare record is connected to two Brazilian legends.

Both FalleN and fer have already lifted Major trophies with Luminosity Gaming and later with SK Gaming.

Now, they have a chance to become the first players in history to win Majors with three different organizations.

Interestingly, the former teammates are chasing this milestone on different paths. They are now competing under different teams and progressing through different stages of the tournament, but their goal remains the same.

The 5 Oldest and 5 Youngest CS2 Players at the IEM Cologne Major 2026

A story bigger than any record: NiKo’s first Major

There is one achievement that will not appear in official record books, but for many fans, it may matter more than any statistic.

That story belongs to Nikola “NiKo” Kovač.

For over a decade, the Bosnian superstar has been one of the most talented players in Counter-Strike history. He has won elite tournaments, earned MVP titles, and consistently ranked among the best players in the world.

But one trophy has always been missing from his collection: a Major championship.

NiKo’s career has been defined by painful defeats, lost finals, and one of the most famous missed shots in CS history. Despite everything, he has remained at the top level and continued to chase the one title that has always eluded him.

Now, with Falcons, he has yet another chance to finally complete his legacy.

And if NiKo lifts the trophy at the end of the tournament, it will be more than just a team victory. It will be the culmination of one of the longest and most emotional journeys in Counter-Strike history.