Intel® Extreme Masters Cologne 2024: Team Vitality Claim Victory in a Historic Grand Final (2024)

Cologne, Germany – After a landmark weekend of esports, Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne 2024 reached its thrilling conclusion with Team Vitality emerging as Champions in the Grand Final. Set against the backdrop of the iconic LANXESS arena, this year’s IEM Cologne brought together six of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) teams in the Playoffs—MOUZ, G2 Esports, Team Vitality, FaZe Clan, SAW, and Natus Vincere—as they vied for the coveted trophy and a share of the $1 million prize pool.

The tournament drew 39,000 attendees to the Cathedral of Counter-Strike across three days, while over 1,050,000* viewers tuned in online globally to witness Team Vitality claim their first ever IEM Cologne trophy, marking IEM Cologne 2024 as the most-watched non-Major Counter-Strike competition of the year.

Team Vitality’s journey to the Championship was paved with hard-fought victories against the world’s best squads. The team faced fierce competition, including MOUZ and G2 Esports, and their Grand Final best-of-five series against Natus Vincere ended in an intense 3-1 victory. The win marks Team Vitality’s first IEM Cologne title, and a long-awaited victory lap for team captain Dan "apEX" Madesclaire, who appeared at the LANXESS arena’s first-ever IEM event in 2015. With the victory, Team Vitality earned a Championship-level win, bringing them one step closer to claiming an Intel® Grand Slam and its $1 million prize.

“I'm excited to win here with this bunch of boys – this is the best [win] I can ask for and one of the best days of my life,” said Shahar “flameZ” Shushan. “It means loads to us. Of course we didn't have the best year, but this trophy means everything. I'm so grateful to win [it] in front of such a great crowd and in front of one of the best teams in the world right now.”

But the story of IEM Cologne 2024 is not just about the Champions. SAW, the Portuguese team that competed at IEM Cologne for the first time this year made history by representing their country at the Cathedral of Counter-Strike. The underdog squad took dominant games off of The MongolZ, BIG, and FaZe Clan.

Meanwhile, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut stole the show, being named the tournament’s DHL ESL Pro Tour Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his outstanding performance throughout the event. His play was pivotal in securing Team Vitality’s Championship run, particularly in the Grand Final, where their skills were on full display.

IEM Cologne featured three days of fan-centric celebrations, with EFG and an assortment of brand partners playing major roles. EFG’s all-new ESL brand campaign, debuting in Cologne, ushered in a new look for the storied esports organizer and highlighted the players, teams, and fans that have chosen to “Live Legendary” over its nearly 25-year tenure. The brand also announced a partnership renewal with long-time partner DHL, as well as welcoming Logitech and Unilever nutrition brands Knorr and Pot Noodle into the fray.

As the lights dim on IEM Cologne 2024, the excitement does not end here. This year’s event has raised the bar for what is to come in the Intel® Extreme Masters series, including the upcoming IEM Rio, which comes to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on October 7-13. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.pro.eslgaming.com/tour/cs/rio. Press accreditation for the Playoffs is available HERE.

For more information about ESL FACEIT Group, check out eslfaceitgroup.com and follow EFG on LinkedIn.

*According to escharts.com

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Photos of IEM Cologne 2024 for editorial use are available HERE.

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