StrafeStrafe Esports
StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: All You Need to Know

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: All You Need to Know

Counter-Strike 2

Foo Zen-Wen

6 Nov, 2025, 17:20

|

Last updated: 6 Nov, 2025, 17:22

While the Austin Major concluded a mere 5 months ago, it can feel like a lifetime ago for CS fans. Thankfully, the second and final Major of the year, StarLadder Budapest, is here to sate us. With a $1.25 million USD cash pool up for grabs, 32 teams will assemble to clash and a chance at the most prestigious achievement in Counter-Strike – winning a Major. Buckle your seatbelt ladies and gents, the end of November brings good tidings.

The Final Major of 2025: StarLadder Budapest

Set to run from November 24th to December 14th, StarLadder Budapest will mark the second ever Counter-Strike major hosted by the TO (tournament organizer) StarLadder, and their first in CS2. Longtime fans might remember their previous Major in Berlin back in 2019, where Astralis famously lifted the trophy for the four-peat. It was also the final major in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive before long hiatus until 2021 Stockholm.

At the last major, fans were treated to the crowning moment for Vitality, a team that dominated the early portions of 2025 and posted a legendary win streak during their impressive, albeit short, rule over the scene.

With the current state of Counter-Strike and no clear favorite in sight, the stage for Budapest is set for incredible storylines and one final winner to cap out the season.

Format and Schedule

As in previous iterations, the StarLadder Budapest Major will feature 4 distinct stages spread across 2 locations. Stages 1 to 3 will feature the popular Swiss System while the Playoffs will be played in a single-elimination bracket.

Stage 1

  • Date: November 24th – 27th
  • No. of Teams: 16
  • Swiss Stage Format
  • Elimination and Advancement matches will be Bo3 (Best-of-Three). All other matches will be Bo1 (Best-of-One).
  • Top 8 teams advance to Stage 2.
  • Bottom 8 teams are eliminated from the Major.

Stage 2

  • Date: November 29th – December 2nd
  • No. of Teams: 16
  • Swiss Stage Format
  • Elimination and Advancement matches will be Bo3 (Best-of-Three). All other matches will be Bo1 (Best-of-One).
  • Top 8 teams advance to Stage 3.
  • Bottom 8 teams are eliminated from the Major.

Stage 3

  • Date: December 4th – 7th
  • No. of Teams: 16
  • Swiss Stage Format
  • Elimination and Advancement matches will be Bo3 (Best-of-Three). All other matches will be Bo1 (Best-of-One).
  • Top 8 teams advance to Playoffs.
  • Bottom 8 teams are eliminated from the Major.

Playoffs

  • Date: December 11th – 14th
  • No. of Teams: 8
  • Single-Elimination Bracket
  • Grand Finals is Bo5 format (Best-of-Five).
  • All other matches are Bo3.

Teams

The StarLadder Budapest Major will play host to the biggest and most decorated names in Counter-Strike 2 history. However, not every team will start on equal terms. Depending on their performance throughout the year, they’ll be afforded the advantage of coming in later in the tournament and therefore, play out fewer games. Let’s take a look at the teams qualified each stage:

Stage 1

  • VRS Americas
    • Legacy
    • Imperial Esports
    • Fluxo
    • M80
    • Red Canids
    • NRG
  • VRS Europe
    • FaZe Clan
    • B8
    • GamerLegion
    • Fnatic
    • PARIVISION
    • Ninjas in Pyjamas
  • VRS Asia
    • FlyQuest
    • Lynn Vision Gaming
    • The Huns Esports
    • Rare Atom

Stage 2

  • VRS Americas
    • MIBR
    • Passion UA
  • VRS Europe
    • Aurora Gaming
    • Natus Vincere
    • Team Liquid
    • 3DMAX
    • Astralis
  • VRS Asia
    • TYLOO

Stage 3

  • VRS Americas
    • FURIA
    • paiN Gaming
  • VRS Europe
    • Team Vitality
    • Team Falcons
    • MOUZ
    • Team Spirit
    • G2 Esports
  • VRS Asia
    • The MongolZ

Stage 1 Opening Matchups

With weeks to go still for the beginning of StarLadder Budapest, the opening matchups for Stage 1 have already been revealed.

A total of 16 matches will be played on November 24th, 8 from Round 1 and 8 from Round 2. So, set your calendars, and make sure not to miss out on these exhilarating Bo1s to kick off the biggest event of the Counter-Strike seasonal calendar.

Where to Purchase Tickets for StarLadder Budapest?

As of writing, tickets remain purchasable for the Major, including Stage 1. Check out the details below and perhaps, snag a couple for you and your friends.

  • Stage 1-3 tickets can be found here for as low as €10.
  • Playoffs tickets at the MVM Dome are available here for as low as €77.

Where to Watch StarLadder Budapest?

The entire tournament will be livestreamed from Budapest to Twitch, YouTube, and Kick. Follow the action on the Strafe Esports tournament page as the tournament unfolds.

Don't forget to check out Strafe Esports for all the latest Counter Strike 2 news and our X account for the latest content and coverage of your favorite eSports.

Also, don't forget to subscribe to our channel on YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

 Featured Image Credit: StarLadder

Read More:

Valve Announces Bo5 Grand Finals for StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Aurora defeats Legacy in epic final to claim PGL Masters Bucharest 2025

IEM Chengdu 2025 Playoffs: Teams, Preview, Results and Predictions

Latest news

FISSURE Owes Prize Money to Multiple CS2 Orgs, Including Astralis, FURIA, and G2

FISSURE Owes Prize Money to Multiple CS2 Orgs, Including Astralis, FURIA, and G2

FISSURE has acknowledged outstanding prize pool payments owed to 15 Counter-Strike 2 teams, including top organizations like Astralis, FURIA, and G2. The organizer clarified that the pending amounts relate exclusively to tournament winnings from its event series, not salaries or commercial agreements
26 Jun
André Guaraldo

New Study Finds 400 Million Gen Z Consumers Regularly Engage With Esports

The numbers are in, and they're hard to argue with. A new whitepaper from ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports, and Niko Partners titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend dropped today, and it paints a picture of an audience that is bigger, more engaged, and more commercially valuable than many brands still realize
25 Jun
Thales Costa

G2 Bench SunPayus; r1nkle Joins CS2 Roster

After what many would consider a successful run at the IEM Cologne Major 2026, G2 CS2 has decided to bench their AWPer SunPayus in favor of r1nkle. The Ukrainian 21 y.o made waves in 2025 with NIP and was benched by the team in April 2026.
25 Jun
Ganesh Jadhav

G2 Esports and One Piece Collaborate to Create New Limited-Edition Drop

Esports giant G2 is making another move into the anime fashion space, this time partnering with one of the most beloved franchises in the world. In collaboration with One Piece, G2 has announced a new limited-edition streetwear drop available as of today (June 25).
25 Jun
Martin Arévalo-Östberg

CS2 Major Revenue Share Changes Are Pushing Organizations Away from Counter-Strike

Valve’s new CS2 Major revenue share ties sticker income to VRS and final placement, removing capsule‑style payouts and concentrating money among top finishers. The result: higher volatility for clubs that relied on sticker cheques, early roster cuts like Gaimin Gladiators, and a narrower field of sustainable CS2 organizations unless the payout model changes.
23 Jun
André Guaraldo

Cache Is Back, Overpass Is Out for CS2 Premier Season 5

After seven long years on the sidelines, Cache is finally making its way back into competitive Counter-Strike. Valve officially announced that Cache will replace Overpass in the Active Duty map pool starting with Premier Season 5.
22 Jun
Thales Costa

IEM Cologne Major 2026 Grand Final Shatters Counter-Strike Peak Viewership Record

FURIA vs Falcons sets a new live viewership record for Counter‑Strike as the IEM Cologne 2026 Major Grand Final concludes. Here are more details.
21 Jun
Adarsh J. Kumar

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match