According to Esports.net sources, Valve is considering implementing best-of-three matches across the board at the IEM Cologne Major (besides the grand final), removing best-of-one matches completely from the prestigious Counter-Strike tournament.

If implemented, it would mark the end of best-of-one matches at one of CS2’s biggest tournaments, a format that has divided players and fans for years.

The idea was pitched by ESL following internal discussions, though whether Valve approves it remains to be seen.

The End of Best-of-One?

Traditionally, Majors open with best-of-ones in the Swiss Stage, giving lower-seeded teams a chance to score early upsets and shake up the bracket a little. This is until elimination or advancement matches, which are best-of-three.

That approach has its merits, and has been supported by some players and fans, but one bad veto or a few unlucky rounds could send even top-tier rosters packing early, which doesn’t always reflect the true competitive balance.

For example, at the BLAST Austin Major, Team Falcons suffered in the best-of-one sections of Stage 2, losing to clear underdogs B8 and Lynn Vision Gaming. A close victory over OG wasn’t enough, as they ended up losing to MIBR to be knocked out of the tournament.

Even Vitality, on an incredible unbeaten streak at the time, lost their streak with a defeat to massive underdogs Legacy at the same event, before going on to win the whole thing.

Locking in Competitive Integrity

By locking in best-of-three across every stage before the grand final, Valve would be doubling down on competitive integrity for IEM Cologne.

However, it’s not without challenges. A full best-of-three schedule requires longer broadcast days and tighter logistics. The Major schedule is already packed, and adding more maps could create timing headaches for both production and fans.

That said, PGL has started running a full best-of-three Swiss Stage as standard, and it only takes a day longer than the Major Swiss Stage typically would take. While it is one extra day, it shouldn’t significantly extend the tournament and become a serious detriment.

According to our sources, no final decision has been made on this change, so the idea could be scrapped before the event actually takes place in June 2026.

If it does take place and is well-received by players and fans alike, we could see this become standard for Majors going forward.