The MongolZ’s IEM Katowice Spodek Appearance Has Been a Long Time Coming

When The MongolZ step out into the Spodek against Eternal Fire at IEM Katowice 2025 on Friday, it will be their reward for a grind that spans back almost a decade. A battle for relevance in a scene and region stacked with talent. It has been a long road, but one that shows that hard work and dedication pay off in the end.

Before The MongolZ make their debut in the IEM Katowice Playoffs, I wanted to take a reflective look at that journey, to see how far they’ve come.

The MongolZ have been working at reaching the Spodek since 2016

It’s very easy to forget now, but The MongolZ’s first appearance at IEM Katowice came in 2016. The Spodek may not have had the storied history it has today, but it was still part of one of the most prestigious events in the Counter-Strike calendar. Back then, it was a totally different five on the server than we see today, but off the server, there was one common thread: the coach. Standing behind the team back in 2016 was maaRaa, who remains The MongolZ coach to this day. What must it feel like for him to see how far his team has come in this time?

The MongolZ reached IEM Katowice 2016 by becoming IEM Taipei champions, beating out SPUNJ and jks’ Renegades for a slot. They got demolished in the Group Stage 0:5, facing iconic Major-winning lineups such as Luminosity, Fnatic, and Ninjas in Pyjamas. Still, every journey must start with a single step, and this was theirs.

Recent appearances highlight their progress further

Post-2016, it would be a long time before any variation of The MongolZ would make it to IEM Katowice. They chipped away behind the scenes for years, making big strides in the quality of Asian Counter-Strike. An IHC Esports team consisting of Techno and bLitz (both on The MongolZ today) and maaRaa once again as coach were able to reach IEM Katowice 2023, and even managed to pick up a few series wins before crashing out there.

After reforming as The MongolZ once more, the team were able to secure an invite to IEM Katowice 2024. This is the five-man roster we see today, but just a year ago, they crashed out in the Play-In stage after losing to eventual winners Spirit and ENCE.

That is what makes their recent progress all the more remarkable. Almost a decade after their first appearance, The MongolZ have not just cemented themselves as regulars at IEM Katowice, but contenders. They’ve made Playoffs at IEM Katowice 2025 by taking down Team Liquid and GamerLegion – one big name and one young squad on the up. It’s a legitimate run, by any standards, their reward a historic trip to the Spodek.

The MongolZ have featured in the Playoffs of several other tournaments over the last six months, and while they’re yet to win a Tier 1 event, I get the feeling they’re not far from breaking down this barrier. Their route to the Final would involve beating Eternal Fire (which they have done several times) and Vitality. The latter would be a tougher test, but I genuinely believe that is within the realm of possibility given their current form.

I love The MongolZ’s story. It’s one of defying expectations at every step, and writing new chapters in the Counter-Strike history books. Certainly, nothing would make me happier than to see them lift the trophy in Katowice’s iconic Spodek.