Each crew that has gained a Tier 1 CS2 occasion in 2025

Following a brief post-Main participant break, the second half of the 2025 Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) season is at present underway.

Since January, a complete of 13 occasions operated by completely different event organisers have shaped the Tier 1 scene, the place the FPS title’s finest gamers showcase their expertise. 

CS2 Tier 1 tournaments are held by the world’s largest organisers and sometimes happen in sold-out arenas throughout the globe. Alongside large venues, Tier 1 occasions entice the most important esports organisations on the earth, competing for the lion’s share of large prize swimming pools and Valve Regional Standings factors that decide which groups compete at a Valve-sanctioned Main.

With the second half of the 12 months in full swing, Esports Insider takes followers on a visit down reminiscence lane and appears on the groups which have secured a victory at a CS2 Tier 1 occasion in 2025 to this point, beginning with BLAST Bounty Season 1.

After profitable the Excellent World Shanghai Main in late 2024, Workforce Spirit headed into 2025 as one of many world’s finest groups. Having defeated Fnatic and FlyQuest in the course of the closed qualifiers, the esports organisation continued its momentum on LAN, sweeping apart HEROIC and NAVI to e book its place within the first Grand Last of the 12 months. 

Regardless of Everlasting Fireplace taking the opening map within the Grand Last, Workforce Spirit confirmed its class to take the collection 3-1 together with $288,125 (~£213,725) in prize cash. The victory would cement Workforce Spirit as one among Counter-Strike’s prime groups, with Danil ‘Donk’ Kryshkovets main the cost.

Workforce Vitality lifted the BLAST.television Paris Main 2023 trophy to cement its place among the many world’s finest. IEM Katowice 2025 laid down the foundations for the French organisation’s most up-to-date run of domination. 

Workforce Vitality cruised by means of the Group Stage with wins over FaZe Clan and Virtus.professional earlier than sweeping apart The MongolZ within the semi-final to arrange a blockbuster conflict with Workforce Spirit within the closing.

Workforce Vitality got here out swinging towards the BLAST Bounty Season 1 champions, profitable the occasion with a convincing 3-0 sweep to earn its first trophy of the 12 months. The victory marked Vitality’s second win of ESL Grand Slam Season 5, a million-dollar initiative for groups competing in Tier 1 occasions operated by ESL FACEIT Group.

One other crew that has appeared among the many groups competing this 12 months is MOUZ, which ended January 2025 because the sixth-best CS2 crew on the earth in line with the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). Whereas its rank was decrease than that of different groups in attendance, the German organisation powered into the Playoffs and earned its Grand Last look after beating PaiN Gaming and Astralis. 

Becoming a member of MOUZ within the Grand Last was Workforce Falcons, a crew which was getting ready to make roster adjustments as consideration turned in direction of the Austin Main. MOUZ regarded the stronger crew from the outset, closing the collection 3-1 to safe its first LAN victory since Could 2024. Regardless of defeat within the closing, Workforce Falcons confirmed glimpses of high quality because it continued to construct its presence among the many world’s prime groups. 

Following its victory at IEM Katowice in February, ESL Professional League Season 21 additional solidified Workforce Vitality’s place as CS2’s powerhouse. The crew steamrolled its group with out conceding a map earlier than sweeping apart Workforce Liquid within the quarter-finals to arrange a battle with The MongolZ within the semi-final. 

The Mongolians have been the one crew to attain a map win over the French facet in all the event and went on to defeat MOUZ within the Grand Last so as to add one other trophy to the ever-expanding cupboard. Victory marked Vitality’s first Professional League triumph since 2022, the place it defeated Workforce Liquid to win Season 16.

Three days after profitable the Professional League, Workforce Vitality was again in motion at BLAST Open Lisbon, one other occasion that includes the most important names in CS2 esports. Much like Professional League, the French organisation certified for the playoffs with out shedding a single map, robotically inserting it within the semi-finals.

Persevering with its spectacular kind, Workforce Vitality secured a 2-1 victory over Workforce Spirit to make one other look within the Grand Last alongside MOUZ. One of the best-of-five collection went to the fifth and closing map, with Workforce Vitality rising victorious with a 3-2 scoreline. Alongside the lion’s share of the prize pool, the French additionally secured three Frequent Flyer Factors that contribute to BLAST’s $2m (~£1.4m) revenue-sharing initiative.

PGL Bucharest was the ultimate time Ilya ‘m0NESY’ Osipov represented G2 Esports earlier than signing with Workforce Falcons.

The Saudi Arabian organisation bounced again from two consecutive defeats with wins over PaiN Gaming, Uncommon Atom, and The MongolZ to lock in a Playoff place. 

With the momentum in its favour, Workforce Falcons bested GamerLegion and FaZe Clan to arrange a conflict with G2 Esports within the Grand Last. G2 didn’t win greater than eight rounds on any of the three maps, with Workforce Falcons strolling away with a 3-0 victory. The victory additionally marked Emil ‘Magisk’ Reif’s closing look on the Workforce Falcons beginning line-up.

In April, Counter-Strike headed down beneath, with 16 groups from throughout the globe competing in entrance of a sold-out crowd. 

Workforce Vitality’s profitable streak continued after it managed to defeat a revamped Workforce Falcons in an exhilarating five-map Grand Last. With victory in Australia, Vitality secured Season 5 of the ESL Grand Slam, taking house an extra $1m (~£741,234) in prize cash.

The French powerhouse continued to dominate CS2 as consideration began shifting in direction of the Austin Main. Workforce Vitality topped its group with snug wins over Wildcard and MOUZ to e book one more place within the playoffs of a Tier 1 occasion. 

Vitality defeated Workforce Spirit within the semi-finals to arrange a rematch towards Workforce Falcons within the IEM Melbourne Grand Last. One of the best-of-five collection went the space as soon as once more, with Workforce Vitality rising as champion so as to add one other victory to its assortment. 

Vitality’s AWPer Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut’s distinctive efficiency earned him his fifth consecutive HLTV MVP award of the 12 months, taking his profession complete to 25.

Workforce Spirit hadn’t gained a Tier 1 occasion since BLAST Bounty Season 1, however managed to hit a purple patch at PGL Astana when it comfortably superior from the Group Stage into the Playoffs. Wins over Ninjas in Pyjamas and FURIA, the crew booked its place within the Grand Last towards Astralis, the place it secured a 3-1 victory.

Donk continued to cement his place as top-of-the-line riflers within the historical past of Counter-Strike with one other dominant efficiency. The Russian phenom scored his second MVP award of the 12 months after incomes his first following Workforce Spirit’s BLAST Bounty Season 1 victory.

With Workforce Spirit not in attendance, Workforce Vitality had a superb alternative to cement its place on the prime of the VRS with a powerful displaying at IEM Dallas. The occasion captured large consideration as Counter-Strike legend Oleksandr ‘S1mple’ Kostyliev made his debut for FaZe Clan.

After easing by means of the Group Stage, the French organisation gained towards Workforce Falcons within the semi-finals earlier than going through MOUZ in a rematch of the ESL Professional League Season 21 Grand Last. 

Vitality closed out the occasion with a scientific 3-0 sweep over MOUZ, giving the crew one other accolade.

The momentum of Workforce Vitality confirmed no indicators of slowing down on the Austin Main. Even with a shock defeat to Legacy, which introduced its 30-match profitable streak to an abrupt finish, the crew superior to the Moody Middle with relative ease, with victories over Nemiga Gaming, 3DMAX, and Virtus.professional. 

By additional defeating NAVI and MOUZ, the crew secured one more look in a CS2 Grand Last. Regardless of a valiant effort from The MongolZ, Workforce Vitality secured the second Main of the CS2 period and its seventh event win of 2025, cementing its place as top-of-the-line rosters of all time. 

One other highlight-filled efficiency from ZywOo earned him his second Main MVP award.

IEM Cologne was the primary occasion following the post-Main participant break. With a number of groups making adjustments to rosters, a visit to the cathedral of Counter-Strike hosted gamers trying to usurp Workforce Vitality from the highest spot. 

Vitality made it by means of the Group Stage in a vogue followers anticipated from arguably the very best crew on the earth; nonetheless, its streak got here to an finish with a 2-0 semi-final loss to MOUZ. 

This left MOUZ and Workforce Spirit to battle it out within the Grand Last for the champion title and trophy.

Workforce Spirit then dominated the collection to defeat MOUZ 3-0 and grabbed the title of the very best CS2 crew on the earth. The win additionally marked Ivan ‘zweih’ Gogin’s first Tier 1 victory since becoming a member of the roster in July. 

Workforce Spirit continued constructing the momentum from Cologne with one other robust efficiency at BLAST Bounty Season 2. Heading into the occasion, studies of former HEROIC participant Andrey ‘tN1R’ Tatarinovich becoming a member of the crew to exchange Myoslav ‘zont1x’ Plakhotia after the Esports World Cup surfaced.

Regardless of the distraction of an impending roster transfer, Workforce Spirit battled by means of the web closed qualifiers. The Russian organisation swept apart Virtus.professional and MOUZ to safe one other Grand Last place. 

Regardless that the occasion adopted an uncommon format, Workforce Spirit lifted the trophy with a win towards The MongolZ within the Grand Last. 

With Workforce Vitality falling within the semi-finals, the attention-grabbing query is whether or not the French facet’s domination is coming to an finish.

Disclaimer: This text will likely be often up to date when a Tier 1 occasion concludes.