The main event of ESL Pro League Season 22 begins — the grand final between Falcons and Vitality. The two strongest teams in Europe will face off in a Best of 5 series to determine the season’s champion, titleholder, and the new leader of the world ranking.
After weeks of intense competition, these two lineups have made it to the decisive clash: Falcons confidently defeated MOUZ (2–0) in the semifinals, while Vitality overcame FaZe (2–1) in a dramatic matchup.
Both teams are in peak form, riding a five-match winning streak, with nearly even odds of success — 49.4% vs 50.6%, according to HLTV.
ESL PRO LEAGUE SEASON 22 — THE TOURNAMENT THAT DEFINES THE CS2 ELITE
The ESL Pro League is one of the main stages of the ESL Pro Tour, determining not only prize money but also valuable Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points, which influence invitations to upcoming Major tournaments.
For Falcons, this final is a chance to solidify their position as the #1 team in the world, reinforcing their dominance after a series of top finishes throughout 2025.
Vitality, in turn, are looking to reclaim the top spot after their victories at BLAST Rivals and IEM Dallas, proving that the era of ZywOo and ropz is far from over.
HEAD-TO-HEAD — VITALITY HOLD THE ADVANTAGE
The rivalry between Falcons and Vitality has become the new classic of modern CS2. Over the past year, they have faced each other 18 times, with Vitality leading the series 11–7, including four matches that went to overtime.
Their latest encounter at the Esports World Cup 2025 ended 2–1 in favor of Falcons, with m0NESY emerging as the hero of the series on Train (13–3).
However, Vitality gave them no chance in the BLAST Rivals 2025 final, winning convincingly 13–9 on both Mirage and Inferno.
This matchup has always been a battle of leaders: ZywOo vs m0NESY, NiKo vs ropz, and two tactical masterminds behind them — zonic (Falcons) and XTQZZZ (Vitality) — who know each other’s systems inside out.
CURRENT FORM
- Falcons — Stability, Team Chemistry, and Cold Precision
Under kyxsan’s leadership, Falcons display outstanding structure and balance between aggression and positional play. The team has won its last five matches, including victories over MOUZ (2–0), NAVI (2–1), and 3DMAX (2–1).
- m0NESY is in exceptional form: 1.23 rating, 79 ADR, 75.7% KAST.
- NiKo remains among the top five entry fraggers of the tournament.
- kyxsan confidently leads the team, making smart strategic calls even under pressure.
Falcons hold #1 in VRS with 1994 points, and even in the case of defeat, they will remain among the leaders.
- Vitality — Rising Under Pressure
Vitality reached the final through one of the toughest brackets, defeating FaZe (2–1) and FURIA (2–0).
- ZywOo is once again at the top: 1.25 rating, 86 ADR, 76.3% KAST.
- flameZ has emerged as one of the key entry fraggers of the event (1.17 Impact).
- ropz has regained his consistency after a shaky spring season.
If Vitality win the final, they will not only lift the trophy but also reclaim the #1 spot, gaining +32 points (1967 → 1999).
MAP POOL & VETO PREDICTION
Stats for the last 3 months, Falcons | Vitality:
- Dust2: 33% | 89%
- Mirage: 60% | 58%
- Inferno: 44% | 77%
- Nuke: 88% | 67%
- Train: 60% | 43%
- Overpass: 0% | 67%
- Ancient: 100% | 67%
Predicted veto:
- Falcons will remove Overpass, a map they don’t play at all.
- Vitality will remove Train to avoid NiKo’s dominant side control.
Likely picks:
- Falcons: Nuke or Ancient
- Vitality: Inferno or Dust2
- Possible decider: Mirage, where both teams have similar win rates (60% vs 58%).
KEY DUELS
- m0NESY vs ZywOo — the brightest AWP battle of the year.
- NiKo vs ropz — a classic clash of two rifle masters capable of deciding games on their own.
- TeSeS vs flameZ — a duel of entry fraggers known for perfect timing and precision.
PREDICTION
Both teams come into the final with five consecutive wins, strong individual performances, and refined tactical systems.
Falcons are more disciplined and stable on Ancient and Nuke, while Vitality have the advantage in experience and adaptability.
The key factor will be ZywOo’s form — if he repeats his performance against FaZe, Vitality’s chances for victory rise dramatically.
Predicted score: Vitality 2–1 Falcons
