When the Budapest Major enters its Playoffs, randomness finally disappears. BO1 volatility is gone, weaker teams have been filtered out, and only structure, discipline, and mental strength decide who advances. Eight teams arrive on the arena stage with entirely different identities: some built to win a Major, some relying on raw firepower, and others trying to rediscover their rhythm just in time. Analyst Tedd broke down every playoff team, their ceiling, their weaknesses, and their real chances of lifting the trophy.
S-Tier — Primary Title Contenders
FURIA enter the playoffs as the most complete and balanced roster of 2025. Their structure finally matches their firepower, their confidence is sky-high, and their recent three-event winning streak positions them as the strongest team in the tournament. With molodoy and KSCERATO playing at career-defining levels and with one of the deepest map pools in the Major, they look like the hardest team to crack. Tedd said:
Objectively they are the number one favorite to win this entire event. Their map pool is deep and they’ve been dealing with pressure very, very well
Falcons arrive with momentum, confidence, and a structure that finally looks polished. Their win over G2 in the decisive match changed everything — it proved they can handle pressure and unlocked the mental side that had held them back in earlier stages. NiKo, for the first time in years, enters a playoff bracket with a team capable of genuinely chasing a Major title.
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Falcons are one of my favorites to even win the entire event. After that G2 win they will have the mental in check
Vitality are no longer the unstoppable force they were during the first half of 2025, but their ceiling remains elite. Their issues in the second half of the season stem more from confidence than tactics. Facing The MongolZ in the quarterfinals gives them a chance to stabilize before running into top-tier opponents.
I’m not sure if Vitality have that mental edge over the teams anymore. But beating NAVI, even when they weren’t the better team, is always a good sign
If they can find their old swagger, Vitality still have a real path to the grand final.
A-Tier — Teams With Real Upset and Finalist Potential
Spirit’s 3–0 run was expected considering the level of donk, but beating MOUZ in a BO3 elevated their stock. Still, they rely heavily on their two superstars. The new additions, zwei and ten1r, aren’t fully integrated into the team’s system, putting enormous pressure on donk and sh1ro to perform at tier-one superstar levels every match.
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Donk has been the best player at this event and the best player in the world. But if donk and sh1ro don’t show up, they will have massive issues
NAVI come into the playoffs in their strongest form of the entire year. Wonderful’s improvement — especially on the T side — has finally given NAVI the structure and confidence they lacked for months. The problem is timing: they run directly into the most dangerous team of the bracket.
This is probably the best-playing NAVI we’ve seen all year. But I don’t actually see them taking FURIA down in a BO3, even though they can give them a run for their money
B-Tier — Strong Teams With Clear Flaws
FaZe enter the playoffs as the most unpredictable team. Stage 1 was disastrous, Stage 3 showed signs of life, and their overall level depends entirely on broky. When he performs, FaZe can beat even the top teams. When he doesn’t, they fall apart quickly.
Broky started the event atrociously — some of the worst CS I’ve seen him play, but lately he’s looked solid. If he plays poorly, I don’t think they can beat MOUZ
MOUZ possess one of the cleanest tactical structures at the Major: elite spacing, precise reactions, and consistent teamplay. Yet the same story repeats every year — they struggle to convert that structure into wins on the big stage. Under pressure, especially against experienced opponents, their individuals disappear.
They crumble under pressure when it comes down to arena games against the best teams. They’re incredibly clean tactically, but they lack that one guy who steps up in big moments
Their best hope is torzsi — the Budapest crowd could ignite the performance MOUZ desperately need.
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C-Tier — Dark Horses With Limited Ceiling
The MongolZ are the biggest overachievement story of the tournament. Despite replacing their best statistical player, they still pushed into the top eight with fearless, high-tempo Counter-Strike. However, their map pool remains too shallow for arena BO3s against elite teams. Tedd said:
Their map pool is not that deep and I don’t realistically see them taking Vitality down. Making playoffs is already a success — everything from here is a bonus
Top-3 Players of the Event
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets is the single most impactful player entering the playoffs, capable of winning maps alone and swinging entire series through sheer dominance.
Donk is the best player at this event and the best player in the world
Danil “molodoy” Golubenko has become FURIA’s emotional engine and one of the most influential pressure performers of the season, consistently delivering star-level impact regardless of the stage environment.
Molodoy has been thriving in high-pressure games and playing great Counter-Strike throughout the whole event
Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato enters the playoffs in arguably the strongest form of his career, providing unmatched consistency, elite rifling, and stabilizing rounds that elevate FURIA’s entire system.
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This might be one of the best forms of KSCERATO we’ve seen in a very long time
Tedd’s Blind Prediction
Tedd expects the playoffs to build toward a dramatic storyline — one that mixes logic with emotion. On paper, FURIA should win the tournament: they are the strongest team across all metrics, they have the best form, and their structure is the most reliable. However, Falcons sit on the opposite end of the bracket with rising momentum, growing confidence, and a roster that seems to improve with every match. Their path is brutal — Spirit and potentially Vitality — but if they win those matches, they become mentally unstoppable.
This is why Tedd predicts a Falcons vs FURIA grand final. The matchup symbolizes experience versus hunger, stability versus momentum, and the possibility of NiKo finally capturing his long-awaited Major title. While he acknowledges FURIA as the logical favorite, he believes the emotional storyline — and the team’s recent mental breakthrough — may push Falcons over the finish line.
The logical answer is FURIA, but I like riding that NiKo finally wins his first Major train
SkinClub Pick’em — Build Your Playoffs Predictions with Expert Insight
The Playoffs of the Budapest Major have arrived, and you can use Tedd’s full breakdown as a guide when locking in your Pick’em. He evaluated every contender — from the true title favorites to high-variance upset threats — and highlighted who has the firepower, structure, and mentality to go the distance. Follow his expert analysis when shaping your bracket, or challenge his predictions for a shot at claiming the ultimate SkinClub Pick’em prize.
