From November 3 to 9, the Counter-Strike 2 world shifts its focus to Chengdu, China, for one of the final S-Tier events before the winter Major. IEM Chengdu 2025 brings together 16 elite teams battling for a $1,000,000 prize pool — with $300,000 going directly to players and $700,000 distributed among organizations as club share.
Format
The event will feature a two-group GSL system, each with eight teams competing in a double-elimination format. All matches will be best-of-three. The top three teams from each group will move on to the playoffs:
- Group winners advance directly to the Semifinals
- Runners-up qualify for the Quarterfinals as high seeds
- Third-place finishers move to the Quarterfinals as low seeds
The Playoffs will follow a single-elimination structure:
Quarterfinals and semifinals will be best-of-three, while the Grand Final will be best-of-five.
S-Tier — Vitality, FURIA, Falcons
Vitality come into Chengdu as the clear favorites after winning ESL Pro League Season 22. They’ve been dominant for most of the year, and this tournament could cement their status as the team to beat ahead of the Major. FURIA are also in excellent shape — their recent results show consistency and confidence across all maps. The Brazilians look like genuine title contenders. Falcons, fresh off a strong ESL Pro League grand final run, are starting to click in their rebuilt roster. Chengdu might be their moment to finally convert promise into silverware.
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A-Tier — MOUZ, Spirit, NAVI
MOUZ remain one of the most consistent teams of the year, regularly finishing in the top four. With a young but disciplined lineup, they now need to prove they can go the full distance and lift a trophy. Spirit underperformed at ESL Pro League after roster changes, but the raw talent is still there — if they stabilize, they could surprise everyone. NAVI, while struggling with a limited map pool and uneven form, have enough structure and experience to fight for playoffs if they find their rhythm.
B-Tier — The MongolZ, G2
The MongolZ arrive with an updated lineup and continue to represent Asia’s growing presence on the global stage. Their pace and aggression make them unpredictable and dangerous. G2, after some training time, could surprise if they reproduce the form they showed at BLAST Open London — but their inconsistency remains a question mark.
C-Tier — 3DMAX, FaZe, Astralis, paiN
3DMAX impressed early in the season but have struggled to maintain their level; still, their teamwork and smart mid-rounds make them a tricky opponent. FaZe’s individual talent remains high, yet their structure has weakened — the team feels one bad series away from collapse. Astralis are slowly rebuilding around dev1ce, showing flashes of improvement but not enough to threaten top contenders. paiN, meanwhile, are the eternal underdogs: dangerous when momentum is on their side, but often outmatched in longer series.
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D-Tier — HEROIC, TYLOO, Virtus.pro, Lynn Vision
HEROIC are in a rebuild phase with little stability or clear identity — Chengdu looks more like a testing ground than a real run. TYLOO and Lynn Vision will benefit from the home crowd and local experience, but both lack the tactical and mechanical depth to compete with Europe’s elite. Virtus.pro are in their weakest form in years, struggling with only a 20% win rate — unless something drastic changes, they’re likely headed for an early exit.
Playoff Prediction
Based on current form and team strength, the projected playoff contenders are: NAVI, Falcons, Spirit, Vitality, FURIA, and MOUZ. Among them, Vitality and Falcons look most likely to reach the grand final, while FURIA’s momentum could make them the dark horse of the event. NAVI’s discipline and Spirit’s explosive style should guarantee playoffs but not necessarily a title run.
Why You Should Watch IEM Chengdu 2025
As one of the final S-Tier events before the Major, IEM Chengdu carries huge implications for confidence and rankings. For favorites like Vitality, Falcons, and FURIA, it’s about fine-tuning before the biggest stage. For challengers like NAVI, Spirit, and MOUZ, it’s a shot at redemption and momentum.
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With $1,000,000 on the line, a global mix of talent, and the added intensity of the Asian stage, Chengdu promises to be a defining stop on the road to the Major — where legends sharpen their form and new contenders rise.
