What is StarLadder Budapest Major 2025?
The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is a massive, high-stakes CS2 tournament that brings together the world’s top teams for a month of high-level competition, culminating in a stadium-scale grand final in one of Europe’s biggest arenas.
Dates: November 24 to December 14, 2025.
Location: Two venues in Budapest, Hungary. Early group stages will be held at the MTK Sportpark, and the playoffs (finals) will take place at the large MVM Dome.
Teams: There will be 32 teams competing.
Prize Pool: $1.25 million.
Format:
Three group stages using a Swiss-system.
After that, an 8-team single-elimination playoff.
Most matches are best-of-one in group stages, but elimination/progression matches are best-of-three.
The grand final is a best-of-five, which is a first for a CS Major.
Significance: This is the fourth Major under CS2, and the 23rd Major overall in the Counter-Strike series.
Audience & Scale:
The MVM Dome for playoffs can hold around 20,000 spectators.
The event is expected to draw a huge global online audience as well.
StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Format, Schedule, Teams
Format
There are 4 stages: Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and then Playoffs.
Swiss-system is used for the first three stages: 16 teams per stage.
In each Swiss stage:
Most matches are Bo1 (best-of-one), except “progression” and “elimination” matches (i.e., matches that determine whether a team advances or is eliminated), which are Bo3.
Seeding in later rounds uses Buchholz tiebreakers (i.e., teams’ Buchholz scores help determine matchups).
Playoffs:
8 teams (top 8 from Stage 3) advance. Single-elimination bracket.
Quarterfinals and semifinals are Bo3; the grand final is Bo5 — first time for a CS Major to have a Bo5 final.
Map Pool: Ancient, Dust II, Inferno, Mirage, Nuke, Train, Overpass.
StarLadder Budapest Major Schedule
Stage 1: November 24-27
Stage 2: November 29-December 2
Stage 3: December 4-7
Playoffs: December 11-14
StarLadder Budapest Major Teams
Stage 1: FaZe Clan, GamerLegion, Ninjas in Pyjamas, B8, PARIVISION, Fnatic, Legacy, Imperial Esports, M80, NRG, Fluxo, RED Canids, Lynn Vision, The Huns, FlyQuest, Rare Atom.
Stage 2: Aurora Gaming, Natus Vincere, Astralis, 3DMAX, Team Liquid, MIBR, Passion UA, Tyloo
Stage 3: Team Vitality, Team Spirit, Team Falcons, MOUZ, G2 Esports, FURIA, paiN Gaming, The MongolZ.
Who Will Win StarLadder Budapest Major 2025?
One of the main favorites for the next Major trophy is Team Vitality. They’re the current winners and the best team of the 2025 season. The European roster managed to win 7 titles and reached the final 10 times. All of their leaders, ropz and ZywOo, are in a prime form. apEX is still proving himself to be one of the best IGLs in the world, while mezii and flameZ are among the best riflers in CS2.
Recently, Team Vitality and Skin.Land became an official partners. As a sign of gratitude to our community, we offer a $10 bonus with a code “vitality”. Head over to Skin.Land, activate your bonus for the first sale and browse the vast assortment of skins and other CS2 customization items!
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