For the final time in the 2025 season, Counter-Strike 2’s spotlight turns to Europe. From November 24 to December 14, in Budapest, Hungary, 32 of the world’s best teams will compete for the Major championship title and a $1,250,000 prize pool. The playoff stage will take place inside the 20,000-seat MVM Dome, one of the biggest arenas ever used for a CS Major.
Tournament Dates and Format
Stage 1 (November 24–27)
16 teams compete in a Swiss format. All matches are best-of-1, except elimination and advancement matches, which are best-of-3. The top 8 teams advance, while the rest are eliminated.
All teams in this stage qualified through VRS standings (October 2025):
- Legacy
- FaZe Clan
- B8
- GamerLegion
- Fnatic
- PARIVISION
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Imperial Esports
- FlyQuest
- Lynn Vision
- M80
- Fluxo
- RED Canids
- The Huns Esports
- Rare Atom
- NRG
Stage 2 (November 29–December 2)
Same format as Stage 1. The top 8 teams from the previous stage are joined by 8 invited teams based on the VRS ranking:
- Aurora Gaming
- Natus Vincere
- Team Liquid
- 3DMAX
- Astralis
- TYLOO
- MIBR
- Passion UA
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Stage 3 (December 4–7)
One more Swiss stage with the top 16 teams. This round determines the playoff participants. Eight of the world’s best teams are directly invited based on VRS rankings — 5 from Europe, 2 from the Americas, and 1 from Asia:
- Team Vitality
- MOUZ
- Team Spirit
- G2 Esports
- Team Falcons
- FURIA
- paiN Gaming
- The MongolZ
Playoffs (December 11–14)
The final stage. The best 8 teams from Stage 3 will compete in a Single Elimination bracket, with all matches played in Best-of-3 format — except the Grand Final, which will be best-of-5. All playoff matches will be played at the MVM Dome.
Opening Day Schedule
The first day of the tournament (November 24), with times listed in CET, features eight best-of-1 matches:
- 13:00 — B8 vs M80
- 13:00 — Imperial vs Rare Atom
- 14:00 — Legacy vs FlyQuest
- 14:00 — PARIVISION vs The Huns
- 15:00 — Ninjas in Pyjamas vs NRG
- 15:00 — GamerLegion vs Fluxo
- 16:00 — fnatic vs RED Canids
- 16:00 — FaZe Clan vs Lynn Vision
All matches in Stage 1’s opening wave are best-of-1. The next day features elimination and advancement matches in best-of-3 format. Matches start daily at 13:00 or 15:00 CET, depending on the round.
Prize Pool Distribution
The prize pool of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 amounts to $1,250,000, and every team receives a share regardless of the final result. The champion traditionally takes the largest payout, but every placement matters — even an early exit guarantees a substantial reward. The distribution is as follows:
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- 1st place: $500,000
- 2nd place: $170,000
- 3rd–4th: $80,000
- 5th–8th: $45,000
- 9th–16th: $20,000
- 17th–24th: $10,000
Where to Watch
All matches will be streamed on the tournament’s official channels:
- StarLadder Kick
Broadcasts will be available in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, and Mongolian. Fans can expect high-end production, expert analysis, and full-stage coverage. Community streams across multiple regions will also be available.
Skin.club Pick’em Challenge
Running alongside the tournament is the Skin.club Pick’em Challenge. Fans can predict match results, earn points, unlock rewards, and level up. Prizes include skins, gloves, knives, and the ultimate grand prize — an AWP | Dragon Lore. The Pick’em adds an extra layer of excitement and competition to every match — from early 3–0 predictions to the final bracket.
