NAVI faced Falcons in the 2–1 bracket of Stage 3 at IEM Cologne Major 2026 in CS2. The winner of the match would secure a place in the tournament's playoff stage.
Natus Vincere began the series with a heavy 3:13 defeat on Dust2, Falcons' map pick. The Ukrainian side responded on their own selection, Mirage, leveling the series with a convincing 13:7 victory.
The deciding map, Anubis, proved to be a closely contested battle. The winner was determined only after a second overtime period, with Falcons eventually claiming the map 19:16.
Thanks to this victory, Falcons have secured their place in the playoffs. NAVI drop to the 2–2 bracket and will have one more opportunity to qualify for the playoff stage.
IEM Cologne Major 2026 is taking place from June 2 to June 21 in Cologne, Germany. The tournament features a prize pool of $1.25 million.
As a reminder, FUT eliminated MOUZ from IEM Cologne Major 2026 and will now compete for a place in the playoffs.
