The IEM Cologne 2023 schedule was from July 25 to August 6, 2023. The event took place in Cologne, Germany, primarily at the LANXESS arena. It featured several stages:
- Play-In phase: July 26-28, with 16 participants competing for 8 spots in the group stage.
- Group stage: July 29 to August 2, using a GSL double-elimination format with 16 teams divided into two groups.
- Playoffs: Single elimination bracket starting August 4, including quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final on August 6.
Matches included Best-of-One opening games, then Best-of-Three for most matches, with the grand final played as Best-of-Five. The prize pool was $1,000,000. The tournament had 24 teams from various regions competing.