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NRG Choke a 12-0 Lead to Crash Out of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage 1
The day has gone from bad to worse for North American fans of Counter-Strike. After Team Liquid’s elimination earlier today, NRG, the second NA squad, blew a 12-0 lead on the final map, resulting in the team’s exit from the IEM Cologne Major 2026.
Major Choke Flashbacks!
North American CS fans are no strangers to their favorite organization choking on the biggest stages of competition. But what the fans had to witness at the Cologne Major 2026 today was completely unprecedented.
First, Team Liquid—the favorites going into the series—were battered by FlyQuest. The NA squad could not post a double-digit score on either map and lost the series 0-2, exiting the Major early.
This was followed by a BIG’s Dust 2 bashing, which they dished out against NRG. Many expected NRG to lose the series 2-0, given that BIG had strong momentum coming into the Major, but their resilience on Map 2 of Nuke inspired a lot of hope.
Furthermore, the win reinvigorated Team Liquid, helping them win 12 straight rounds on the final map of Mirage. With just one round away from Stage 2 qualification, many expected to see a second NA team to continue their IEM Cologne Major 2026 journey.
Tragedy struck in the second half, however, as BIG rallied behind their strong start to secure 16 rounds in a row to win the map, completing a historic comeback to win the series 2-1 and securing the final Stage 2 spot.
While NA fans have seen their teams choking on the biggest stages, this has to be the most humiliating loss the region has seen in Major’s long history. For a scene that is struggling to keep up with Europe, South America, and Brazil, these losses of NRG and Team Liquid will sting for a long time.
M80 now remains the only North American hope at the Major. Tomorrow, they take on G2 Esports to kickstart their path through Stage 2. Follow their journey on Strafe.
Check out our IEM Cologne Major 2026 Stage 2 Pick'Em Challenge Guide here.
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Feature image credits: PGL
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