How Much Teams Earned at Cologne 2026

IEM Cologne Major 2026 ended with Team Falcons’ victory, but the financial story of the tournament goes far beyond the prize money alone. The official championship prize pool was $1.25 million, but that money is only the visible part of what teams earned.

The biggest payout went to Falcons. karrigan’s team won the Major and received $500,000. FURIA, who reached the final, earned $170,000. Semifinalists Team Spirit and Aurora Gaming received $80,000 each.

The quarterfinalists — Team Vitality, G2 Esports, 9z Team, and BetBoom Team — finished the tournament in 5th–8th place and received $45,000 each. For 9z and BetBoom, this was a solid result considering their journey through the tournament. For Vitality and G2, that amount feels more like a painful reminder: favorite status does not guarantee big money if you exit in the first round of the playoffs.

Full Prize Distribution:

• Team Falcons — $500,000

• FURIA — $170,000

• Team Spirit — $80,000

• Aurora Gaming — $80,000

• Team Vitality — $45,000

• G2 Esports — $45,000

• 9z Team — $45,000

• BetBoom Team — $45,000

• Natus Vincere — $20,000

• FUT — $20,000

• The MongolZ — $20,000

• Legacy — $20,000

• MOUZ — $20,000

• Monte — $20,000

• PARIVISION — $20,000

• B8 — $20,000

• BIG — $10,000

• TYLOO — $10,000

• paiN — $10,000

• M80 — $10,000

• MIBR — $10,000

• Astralis — $10,000

• GamerLegion — $10,000

• FlyQuest — $10,000

Teams that were eliminated in Stage 1 did not receive separate payouts from the prize pool. For them, the main financial interest was not the prize money, but stickers and revenue from the Major Shop.

Why Stickers Matter More Than Prize Money, What Changed at Cologne 2026, How Major Shop Money Is Split, Why Tournament Placement Became Even More Important, Conclusion

Why Stickers Matter More Than Prize Money

In modern Counter-Strike, the prize pool is not the entire economy of a Major. It may happen that this sum is not even the largest. The real money enters the game in the form of stickers, player signatures, the Viewer Pass, Pick’Em, and souvenir skins.

The exact numbers of final sales of the Cologne 2026 event have not been disclosed by Valve, therefore, it would be impossible to say what exactly Falcons, FURIA, and Spirit have made from stickers. However, there is something that is for sure: participants of the Major get their share of money from the in-game store, and it turns out to be much more than the prize pool.

That is why qualifying for a Major matters even for teams that do not make deep runs. Prize money can be modest, but stickers turn participation itself into a serious source of income.

What Changed at Cologne 2026

Cologne 2026 became a special Major because of the new Major Shop system. Previously, players bought capsules with random stickers. If you wanted a specific team sticker or player autograph, you had to open capsules or go to the market.

Now the system has become more direct: fans can choose specific stickers through the Major Shop. But along with that came dynamic prices. The higher the demand for a sticker, the more expensive it becomes. This turned stickers from simple souvenirs into a full digital market inside the game.

For popular players and teams, this is a huge advantage. If fans massively buy stickers of donk, m0NESY, NiKo, ZywOo, Falcons, Spirit, or FURIA, it directly affects the system’s revenue.

How Major Shop Money Is Split

The main rule is that 50% of revenue from the Major Shop and Viewer Pass goes to the tournament operator, teams, and players. The remaining share stays with Valve.

From that share, the tournament operator receives 5%. In the case of Cologne 2026, that is ESL. The rest is distributed among teams based on their final placement at the tournament.

The winner receives the highest percentage, the finalist gets slightly less, the semifinalists receive an even smaller share, and so on. Within each team, the money is split between the organization and the players: half goes to the club, and half goes to the five players.

This is an important point. Falcons earned $500,000 in prize money, but their real Major income may be higher thanks to stickers. The same applies to FURIA, Spirit, Aurora, and other participants.

Why Tournament Placement Became Even More Important

Cologne 2026 showed the new reality of CS2: the deeper a team goes at a Major, the more it earns not only from the prize pool, but also from the in-game economy.

Previously, reaching a Major was already a financial victory. Now that is not enough. Valve has made the system more dependent on results. A team that reaches the playoffs receives not only more prize money, but also a more favorable share of Major Shop revenue.

That is why the difference between 5th–8th place and victory is now enormous. It is not just the difference between $45,000 and $500,000. It is also the difference in future sticker payouts.

CS2 Sticker Revenue Is Falling: How Valve’s New System Impacts Teams and Players

Conclusion

If we look only at the official prize money, the main winner of Cologne 2026 was Team Falcons with $500,000. FURIA received $170,000, Spirit and Aurora earned $80,000 each, and the quarterfinal teams received $45,000 each.

But the real financial story of the tournament is hidden in the Major Shop. Stickers, autographs, the Viewer Pass, and souvenirs make a Major not just a championship, but a huge digital economy.

That is why the question “how much did teams earn at Cologne 2026” cannot be reduced to one prize-money table. Prize money shows only what is immediately visible. Stickers show why the Major remains the main tournament in Counter-Strike not only in terms of status, but also in terms of money.