NaVi vs Team Spirit’s IEM Katowice Clash Peaks at 1M+ Viewers

9 Jan

Ganesh Jadhav

Earlier today, two CIS giants, Natus Vincere and Team Spirit, clashed in the IEM Katowice 2025 Semifinals. A staggering 1M+ viewers tuned in live, setting the peak viewership record for the tournament.

The Clash of the Titans

Natus Vincere and Team Spirit are currently two of the hottest teams in Counter-Strike esports. NaVi, an organization synonymous with Counter-Strike itself, won the first Counter-Strike 2 Major in March 2024. Meanwhile, Team Spirit, led by the sensational rookie donk, are the reigning Major champions.

These teams previously met in the group stage, where Natus Vincere bested Team Spirit to secure a direct spot in the Semifinals. Team Spirit, however, fought their way through the playoffs, dominating Virtus.pro to earn a shot at redemption.

The prelude to their previous clash was also the first time IEM Katowice 2025 breached 1M+ concurrent viewers, the game itself clocked 882K peak viewers. That set the perfect stage for an electrifying Semifinals rematch.

NaVi vs. Team Spirit Peaks at 1.02M Viewers

The two teams took center stage following a one-sided battle between The MongolZ and Team Vitality. Team Spirit quickly took control of Natus Vincere’s Mirage pick, winning the first half 8-4 and closing it out convincingly at 13-8.

The second map was much closer, but Team Spirit held their ground, securing a 16-14 victory and closing out the series with a swift 2-0.

The match also set a new viewership milestone, peaking at 1,024,899 concurrent viewers.

Grand Finals Await

Tomorrow, Team Spirit will face Team Vitality in the Grand Finals. While it's uncertain whether the final will break another record, IEM Katowice 2025 has already cemented itself as one of the biggest non-Major Counter-Strike 2 tournaments to date.

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Featured Image Credit: ESL // Edited by Strafe