With the upcoming Starladder Budapest Major, it seems like some players need to prove, now more than ever, that they deserve their place on the team. With changes following the major, they could, if their performance isn’t good enough, be benched heading into 2026.
Rookies not reaching their potential
Zweih could be the first to fall. After a stellar performance on Nemiga, and a great run during the Austin Major in June, the 17 years old was called up on Spirit in order to replace magixx. Following his arrival, the team would win the IEM Cologne and the BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 2 Finals right after. But, since those events, Spirit didn’t manage any other win, and worst, they are exiting early at tournaments. During all this time Zweih seemed to have trouble adapting to his new team and the more passive playstyle, being second to last only in front of IGL Chopper.
jcobbb is another name under heavy criticism. Replacing rain on FaZe after almost a decade on the team, the pole and FaZe Clan suffered an early exit during the CAC 2025 after a loss versus FUT esport, followed by a last place exit at Chengdu. FaZe Clan are in a dire spot for results, and, with Frozen and Twistzz putting up stellar performances, it feels like jcobbb slot on the team could be compromised.
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AWPers missing when it matter most
After a great rebuild, Liquid seems to be on the right track, but is Ultimate holding them back from the pinnacle of Counter-Strike ? Since joining the team last year, it feels like the pole is average at best, he can sometimes show great prowess, but he can also have some terrible lows, with two of his worst rated map taking place against SAW a few weeks ago at the PGL Masters Bucharest.
SunPayus is another “lackluster” sniper in what feels like an elite team. G2 indeed won the BLAST Open London 2025 Finals with HeavyGod taking home the MVP medal. But, without star performances from him, MATYS or malbsMd, G2 are far from another trophy contention. And, with early exits at the ESL Pro League, Fissure Playground 2 and IEM Chengdu, SunPayus place on the team could be under pressure.
When you look at the best teams in the world today, they all have a world-class sniper. Vitality has the best player in the world with ZywOo on the AWP, m0NESY is the best sniper in the world, molodoy keeps delivering masterclasses with FURIA, Sh1ro is Spirit’s second star player, and MOUZ has torzsi, a consistent sniper.
One more superstar on Falcons
With a brilliant run later in the year, Falcons’ team seems not far away from a trophy. And, with a Major trophy still awaiting Niko’s cabinet, TeSeS and Kyxsan places on the team could be questioned for 2026.
It’s been known for years that Niko could be a great leader of teams, and it feels like it’s just a question of when at this point, thus, Kyxsan’s place isn’t guaranteed anymore. If Niko finally takes up the IGL duties, another great riffler could be added, replacing Kyxsan’s low firepower.
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TeSeS is also suffering from his anchor positions. Despite poor performances, he is one of Falcons best performers in Grand Finals this year, yet he feels like an easy piece to upgrade in the team.
In the end, the run-up to the Starladder Budapest Major feels like a crossroads for many of these players. As organizations prepare for another cycle of roster moves, the margin for error is shrinking fast. Rookies struggling to adapt, AWPers failing to deliver in key moments, and established teams aiming for one last leap in firepower all face the same reality: the upcoming months will define their future in tier-one Counter-Strike.
Some of these players have shown glimpses of brilliance, others remain weighed down by inconsistency, but all of them are under increasing scrutiny. In a competitive landscape where the world’s best teams rely on elite snipers and high-impact riflers to stay at the top, every underperformance risks opening the door to change.
As 2026 approaches, the Budapest Major may not only crown a new champion—it may also decide who earns the right to stay, who gets replaced, and which teams are willing to reshape themselves in pursuit of greatness.
