Just over a month and a half remains before the second Major of 2025, and now we already know all the teams heading to the capital of Hungary. Together with the CS.MONEY Blog, let’s take a look at who’s playing and when the action starts.
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StarLadder Budapest Major Format
Just like the previous tournament in Austin, the Budapest Major will have four stages: three consecutive Swiss stages followed by the playoffs, where the champion will be crowned. You can’t win the Major in the Swiss rounds, but you can definitely lose it there.
Depending on their ranking, teams will start from the first, second, or third stage. The top-rated squads will jump in later — starting from Stage 3 in December.
Stage 1 Teams — StarLadder Budapest Major
Let’s begin with those entering the fight on November 24. FaZe Clan is worth mentioning — though not in the best way. The team has been struggling for a while, and it’s not clear if they can be considered favorites anymore. After a break, Fnatic and Ninjas in Pyjamas are back for another Major. For the European clubs, this will be their 18th and 17th Valve-sponsored Major respectively. Only Natus Vincere have more — a perfect 23 out of 23.
We also have some newcomers this time: Parivision, Red Canids, and The Huns will appear on Major stickers for the first time.
Here’s the full Stage 1 team list:
- 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 1 runs from November 24 to 27. Eight of these sixteen teams will move forward to Stage 2, while the other eight will be eliminated.
Stage 2 Teams — StarLadder Budapest Major
Stage 2 will be held from November 29 to December 2. It will feature eight top teams from Stage 1, plus eight invited squads:
- Aurora
- Natus Vincere
- Astralis
- 3DMAX
- Team Liquid
- MIBR
- Passion UA
- TyLoo
Welcome back to the Majors, Astralis! The Danish powerhouse missed the last five Majors — the last time we saw their stickers was in the Antwerp Major capsules, way back in May 2022.
As for favorites, Aurora seems like the one to beat, but competition will be tough. Only eight teams will make it into the top 16, and the rest will head home early.
Stage 3 Teams — StarLadder Budapest Major
Stage 3 will take place from December 4 to 7, and this is where the playoff spots will be decided. The eight best teams from Stage 2 will be joined by these top-tier lineups:
- Team Vitality
- Team Spirit
- Falcons Esports
- MOUZ
- G2 Esports
- FURIA
- paiN Gaming
- The MongolZ
This is where things really get exciting — the best of the best will face off, and the real Major battle begins. The eight teams that win three matches will advance to the playoffs.
The playoffs will be held at MVM Dome from December 11 to 14, with a $1,250,000 prize pool up for grabs.
