9z upset Vitality; Spirit to play 9z for IEM Cologne spot

9z defeated Vitality at the IEM Cologne Major Stage 3 on Friday. The win put 9z into a progression match against Spirit on June 13, 2026, with a playoff berth at stake.

After two days of Stage 3 play in Cologne, the event moved into elimination and progression rounds. Several higher-ranked teams lost on Friday, including Vitality, while BetBoom upset Falcons to join the 2-0 pool.

The two progression matches are scheduled for June 13 at 16:30 CEST. Spirit will meet 9z in a repeat of their Stage 2 meeting. FURIA will face BetBoom at the same time. Winners of those matches advance closer to the playoffs; the losing teams return to the Stage 3 schedule with more matches to play.

Several teams that split their opening Stage 3 games enter 1-1 ties on Saturday. Natus Vincere meets The MongolZ at 09:00 CEST. Aurora plays G2 at 11:30 CEST. Falcons take on Monte at 11:30 CEST. Vitality faces MOUZ at 14:00 CEST.

Elimination matches are set for June 13 as well. B8 plays FUT at 09:00 CEST in a rematch of a Stage 2 encounter. PARIVISION meets Legacy at 14:00 CEST; those teams previously met at PGL Bucharest. The losers of the 0-2 elimination matches will be knocked out of Stage 3 and eliminated from the Major.

Stage 3 uses a pool structure in which each team’s record after two matches determines whether it competes in progression, 1-1 or elimination ties. Friday’s results reshaped the bracket and produced the matchups scheduled for Saturday.

No official quotes from players or team representatives were released immediately after Friday’s matches. Teams will return to practice and strategy sessions ahead of Saturday’s schedule as the IEM Cologne Major continues in Cologne, Germany.