At the end of 2025, Counter-Strike 2 received the second and final Major of the season — StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, which took place from November 24 to December 14 in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. The tournament became not only the final chapter of the year, but also a symbolic return of StarLadder to the Major stage after a six-year break — the organizer last hosted a Major in Berlin in 2019.

This time, StarLadder immediately signaled serious ambitions: a $1.25 million prize pool, with $500,000 going to the champions, large-scale arenas, and participation from the strongest teams in the world.

Champion and results of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

The winners of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 were Team Vitality, who confirmed their status as the best team of the year and secured their second Major title of 2025.

In the grand final, Vitality faced FaZe Clan and claimed a convincing 3:1 victory:

• Nuke — 6:13
• Dust2 — 13:3
• Inferno — 13:9
• Overpass — 13:2

Third–fourth place was shared by Team Spirit and Natus Vincere, both stopping just one step short of the final.

The tournament MVP was rightfully awarded to Mathieu “ZywOo ” Herbaut. For the French superstar, this marked:

• His 28th MVP award overall
• His third Major MVP, further cementing his status as one of the greatest players in Counter-Strike history

These achievements once again highlighted ZywOo’s decisive impact on Vitality’s success and his ability to dominate on the biggest stage.

Playoffs: the road to the final

The quarterfinal matchups were as follows:

• Team Spirit vs Team Falcons
• The MongolZ vs Team Vitality
• MOUZ vs FaZe Clan
• NAVI vs FURIA

Team Spirit defeated Falcons comfortably, winning 2:0. Vitality confidently ended The MongolZ’s fairy-tale run, also with a 2:0 victory. FaZe Clan became one of the biggest surprises of the stage, sensationally beating MOUZ 2:0. Meanwhile, NAVI overcame strong resistance to defeat FURIA 2:1 in a tense series.

Main storylines and surprises of the Major

Team Vitality once again proved that they were the strongest CS2 team of 2025. Despite some difficulties at earlier tournaments during the season, the team peaked at the most important moment and delivered a near-flawless Major run.

One of the biggest disappointments was FURIA. Before the tournament, they were considered among the main favorites, but the pressure worked against them, and they failed to get past NAVI in the quarterfinals.

A pleasant surprise came from The MongolZ, who unexpectedly advanced through the third stage and reached the Major playoffs. Although their journey ended against Vitality, a top-8 finish already represented a major achievement.

Special attention also goes to FaZe Clan’s run. The team was one step away from elimination in the opening stage, yet managed to turn things around, go the full distance, and reach the grand final, where they rightfully secured second place.

Tournament and organization

For StarLadder, this Major was their first after a six-year hiatus, and the organizer delivered at a high level. The tournament offered fans a vibrant show, high-quality production, and intense matches across all stages.

A total of 32 teams from 38 countries participated in the Major, with Brazil once again having the largest player representation — 28 players.

Conclusion: StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 served as a fitting conclusion to the CS2 season. The tournament combined StarLadder’s historic return, Team Vitality’s dominance, ZywOo’s individual greatness, and several compelling underdog stories.

For some, it was yet another confirmation of their strength; for others, a chance to make a name for themselves on the biggest stage. At the same time, the key question after this Major is whether Vitality can maintain their current form in the 2026 season and repeat their success at the Intel Extreme Masters Cologne Major 2026, scheduled for the summer. One thing is clear — top-level competition continues to grow, and every future tournament will demand even greater consistency and adaptability.