IEM Cologne 2025 participants: Youngest and oldest players, top countries, and more

Loading

The IEM Cologne 2025 started on July 23, and that means a bunch of matches across more than ten days between the world’s best Counter-Strike sides. Even as fans await the results of the first match of the Play-In Stage in Germany, Esports Charts has put together a little something about the participating players for readers to sink their teeth into.

Tpp country at the IEM Cologne 2025 from any country

Just like at the record-breaking BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, where Brazil had at least eight more players than any other participating nation, the Cologne event is not that different. The South American powerhouse has 11 pros taking part in the latest IEM Cologne competition, which makes up over 30% of the total participant pool.

With this Tier 1 Counter-Strike competition taking place across three rounds and seeing 24 sides battling it out, there are enough sides from Brazil to help take first place here. A total of three esports organizations — FURIA, MIBR, and paiN Gaming — are participating, with this trio starting its journey in the Play-In Stage, which will run from July 23 to 25.

The youngest and oldest players at the IEM Cologne 2025

The youngest pro to be involved in Germany is Oldřich “PR” Nový, the GamerLegion Rifler from the Czech Republic. At 17, he is sure to make heads turn, having only been on the competitive scene since 2022. Joining him on this list are two other 17-year-olds: Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin and Ivan “zweih” Gogin. Both are Riflers for Team Falcons and Team Spirit, respectively, and all three will be looking to clinch their biggest trophies to date in Cologne.

Moving to the oldest players, this table is, understandably, populated by a few well-known faces. Atop the veteran player's list is Ninjas in Pyjamas In-game leader (IGL) Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer, who has been active since 2008. The 35-year-old Dane will be aiming for his biggest title since clinching the Intel Extreme Masters Dallas 2023 as part of the ENCE roster.

Finn “Karrigan” Andersen, FaZe Clan’s IGL, is the only other 35-year-old participating at the IEM Cologne 2025 and will look to add to what is already a stellar trophy cabinet. Last but not least is the legendary Brazilian AWPer, Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, also the IGL of FURIA. At 34, he is looking to add more trophies to his haul and cement a legacy that has already made him an icon in his homeland.

When looking at the overall event, the average age of the players is 23.9 years, with the total number of participating pros being 120. The MongolZ and B8 Esports have the youngest rosters at 20.6 years old, while the oldest team is FaZe Clan, with an average age of 28. Håvard "rain" Nygaard is the other member of this side to be on the wrong side of 30, which added to the overall age of his squad.

Which of these players and teams will emerge as the victors of the IEM Cologne 2025? It’s just a matter of a few hours before the action starts and fans get an idea of what to expect. It will be hosted at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, and the total prize pool is set at $1.25 million, with the champion taking home $400,000.

Esports Charts will also cover the action and provide updates regarding top matches, viewership trends, and the effects of co-casting. For more details on the event, including the schedule, participating teams, and broadcast channels, check out our full article here.