MOUZ on the Major’s record viewership: “Do you still think esports is just a ‘kids’ hobby’?”
The esports organization MOUZ commented on the record viewership figures for the IEM Cologne Major 2026. The post was published on the club’s LinkedIn page.
2.75 million people watched the video game on Sunday. Do you still think esports is a “kids’ hobby”?
The IEM Cologne Major 2026 Grand Final peaked at 2,751,121 viewers, becoming the most-watched match in the history of Counter-Strike. The most-watched ever. For comparison: Chicago has a population of 2.27 million and is the third-largest city in the United States. For a shooter that’s 25 years old...
A few things are worth noting:
- Counter-Strike doesn’t age—it just keeps growing in scale.
- Most entertainment products lose their relevance after a decade.
- CS set its all-time record in its 25th year.
- The game continues to evolve, the scene continues to grow, and the community continues to gather in numbers that would make traditional sports leagues nervous.
Esports has quietly gone mainstream. 2.75 million people didn’t tune in to the broadcast by accident. They did so because it’s a real sport. The debate over whether esports is a real sport is over. The audience has already answered that question. The infrastructure is already in place. Major arenas are selling out completely. Broadcasts are produced at a level comparable to that of any traditional sports federation.
We at MOUZ have been part of this scene for over 20 years. We’ve seen it grow from LAN cafes to packed arenas, from forum discussions to 2.75 million concurrent viewers on a Sunday night. And, to be honest, we believe this isn’t the limit yet.
It was previously reported that the grand final of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 between Team Falcons and FURIA drew over 2.74 million viewers at its peak and became the most-watched match in Counter-Strike history. Team Falcons emerged as the tournament champions, defeating their opponent 3-0 across the maps.
Photo by Stephanie Lindgren, ESL.
