CS2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major: The Ultimate Diamond Coin Guide

The IEM Cologne 2026 Major (running from June 2 to June 21) is officially here, and Valve has dropped one of the most game-changing Major updates in Counter-Strike history. Not only do we have the traditional Pick'Em Challenge to upgrade your tournament coin, but Valve has completely overhauled how stickers, souvenirs, and rewards work.

If you are hunting for that coveted Diamond Coin, here is everything you need to know about it. Here is your strategic roadmap to navigating the upsets, picking the true winners, and securing that flawless Diamond finish. 

How to Upgrade Your IEM Cologne Coin to Diamond: All 11 Challenges

To participate in the Pick'Em challenge and start upgrading your coin, you must first purchase and activate the Cologne 2026 Viewer Pass. Activating the pass immediately grants you the Bronze Cologne 2026 Major Challenge Coin. It features four rarity levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Diamond. While upgrading to Silver or Gold allows for some flexibility, the Diamond Coin is an "all-or-nothing" achievement. 

To earn Diamond, you must complete all 11 challenges available in the Viewer Pass. Because there are exactly 11 tasks, you cannot fail a single stage or miss a single deadline. 

Here is the exact breakdown of the 11 tasks you must conquer:

1. Activation (1 Challenge):

Activate your Viewer Pass (Awards Bronze immediately).

2. The Swiss Gauntlet (6 Challenges):

• Stage 1: Place all 10 predictions before the stage begins AND get at least 5 correct.

• Stage 2: Place all 10 predictions before the stage begins AND get at least 5 correct.

• Stage 3: Place all 10 predictions before the stage begins AND get at least 5 correct.

• Note: If you fail to get 5 correct picks in any of these stages, your Diamond run ends instantly.

3. The Playoffs (4 Challenges):

• Place your Bracket: Lock in your full playoff bracket before the Quarterfinals begin.

• Quarterfinals: Correctly predict at least 2 winners.

• Semifinals: Correctly predict at least 1 winner.

• Grand Final: Correctly predict the Champion.

IEM Cologne Major 2026: Pick'Em Challenge List

Here is the breakdown of all 11 active challenges for the IEM Cologne Major 2026 Viewer Pass.

To upgrade your coin, you must complete a specific number of these challenges. For the Diamond Coin, you must complete all 11 (100% completion rate).

• Activate your coin before tournament is over
• Place all 10 Pick'em predictions for Stage 1 before it begins
• Get 5 correct Pick'em predictions for Stage 1
• Place all 10 Pick'em predictions for Stage 2 before it begins
• Get 5 correct Pick'em predictions for Stage 2
• Place all 10 Pick'em predictions for Stage 3 before it begins
• Get 5 correct Pick'em predictions for Stage 3
• Place all 7 Pick'em predictions for the Playoffs Stage before it begins
• Get 2 correct Pick'em predictions for the Quarterfinals
• Get 1 correct Pick'em prediction for the Semifinals

To earn the IEM Cologne Major 2026 Diamond Coin, you must correctly predict the outcome of the entire tournament, including who’ll become the eventual winner.

Essential Tips To Get Diamond Coin CS2

Because the new three-stage Swiss format introduces unprecedented variance, you need a bulletproof strategy to keep your run alive all the way to the Grand Final. 

With three intense tournament stages crammed into just three weeks, the turnaround times between prediction locks are brutal. Missing a single window will instantly end your shot at the Diamond Coin, so set your alarms early! 

If your absolute favorite roster goes up against a statistical juggernaut in the Quarterfinals, you must bet against your heart. The Pick'Em challenge rewards cold, hard data over fandom. 

• Stage 1 Lock: Morning of June 2.

• Stage 2 Lock: Morning of June 6.

• Stage 3 Lock: Morning of June 11.

• Playoffs Lock: Morning of June 18.