Each group competing in StarLadder Budapest Main Stage 3

With a number of notable names falling in Stage 2, the 16 groups competing in Stage 3 of the StarLadder Budapest Main 2025 are actually locked in. 

The third stage introduces among the world’s greatest Counter-Strike 2 groups, all of which will likely be aiming to beat some stiff opposition from Stage 2 and safe a spot within the Playoffs.

Forward of the ultimate Swiss Stage of the match, Esports Insider discusses the remaining groups which can be competing for certainly one of Counter-Strike’s largest trophies.

Just like Stage 2, the ultimate stage of the Budpaest Main entails one other five-round Swiss Stage format that includes best-of-one and best-of-three matches to find out locations within the playoffs.

Eleven of the 16 groups hail from Europe, whereas the Americas could have 4 representatives trying to compete within the MVM Dome in Budapest. Following the elimination of TYLOO in Stage 2, Asia has one group hoping to make a deep run.

Groups that earn three wins throughout the 5 rounds advance to the playoffs, whereas those who file three losses are despatched dwelling.

The signing of Danil ‘molodoy’ Golubenko because the group’s essential AWPer has delivered loads of excessive impression throughout a number of Tier 1 tournaments. Mixed with the management of Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo and an in-form Kaike ‘KSCERATO’ Cerato, the group has turn out to be a drive to be reckoned with.

FURIA begins its Stage 3 marketing campaign towards NAVI in a rematch of the Thunderpick World Championship closing. The Ukrainian facet managed to take two maps off FURIA, demonstrating its capacity over a single map.

For almost all of 2025, Staff Vitality has dominated Counter-Strike esports, profitable eight Tier 1 occasions all year long. Having positioned no decrease than eighth over the previous eleven months, the French organisation is able to finish the yr on a excessive be aware. 

Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut has cemented himself among the many world’s greatest AWPers, together with his lightning-fast response occasions usually turning the tide of a spherical in favour of his group. Alongside a wealth of skilled riflers, Staff Vitality has all of the components wanted to elevate its second Main of the yr. 

The French esports organisation kicks off Stage 3 towards a FaZe Clan facet greater than able to springing a shock.

After struggling to search out consistency within the first half of the yr, Staff Falcons has established itself among the many world’s elite squads with a number of top-four finishes since August. Because of this upward tick in kind, the Saudi Arabian organisation may discover itself showing in one other playoff.

Nonetheless, in a Main, the organisation hasn’t yielded a lot success. In Austin, the star-studded roster did not make it out of Stage 2, shedding to MIBR within the deciding best-of-three. Because of its enchancment in efficiency, the group begins the Budapest Main in Stage 3, needing three wins to safe a spot within the match’s subsequent part. 

Staff Falcons faces off towards B8 in its first Stage 3 match. Having certified from Stage 2 with a flawless 3-0 file, B8 is aware of what it takes to clip the wings of the Falcons, having overwhelmed the group on the Austin Main.

The MongolZ has spearheaded a brand new period of Asian Counter-Strike because of its success in 2025. Second-place on the Austin Main, adopted by victory on the Esports World Cup, noticed the Mongolian nationwide group high October’s VRS. 

After lacking out on the ESL Professional League Season 22 playoffs, the group benched Azabayar ‘Senzu’ Munkhbold, a transfer that shocked many after the rifler continuously topped the leaderboards. Taking the place of Senzu within the Hungarian capital is Unudelger ‘Controlez’ Baasanjargal, an skilled rifler hoping for a powerful exhibiting.

For the reason that arrival of Controlez, The MongolZ has struggled to achieve the heights achieved with Senzu within the lineup. A gap spherical conflict towards Imperial Esports will act as an early take a look at for a group that after topped worldwide Counter-Strike. 

On a number of events, MOUZ has come agonisingly near reaching notable victories throughout a number of high-profile occasions in 2025. After profitable PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 in February, the German organisation has scored 13 top-four finishes, together with 4 Grand Last appearances.     

Whereas it might not have lifted many trophies, MOUZ’s spectacular ranges of consistency continuously put the group in dialog as certainly one of a number of rosters able to ending the yr with a Main title.

With the purpose of besting its top-four end in Austin, MOUZ takes on Parivision in its opening spherical match.

Staff Spirit joins the likes of Staff Vitality and FURIA as a number of occasion winners in 2025. The Shanghai Main champion managed to hold its late 2024 kind into this yr, profitable BLAST Bounty Season 1 and PGL Astana 2025 earlier than scoring a top-eight end on the Austin Main. 

Extensively considered the very best entry fragger on the planet, Danil ‘donk’ Kryshkovets continues to show his price, continuously bailing the group out with inconceivable clutches and firepower only a few gamers can take care of.  

Regardless of this, Staff Spirit heads to the Hungarian capital following a number of missed alternatives so as to add to its trophy cupboard. Its opening match towards Staff Liquid acts as a strong take a look at for a group all the time able to competing on the high.

Regardless of a yr of roster modifications, G2 Esports has proven indicators that it could compete for victories. The multi-national roster took its solely occasion win of 2025 at BLAST Open London, defeating Staff Vitality in an exciting best-of-five sequence. 

Since then, two top-eight finishes at FISSURE Playground 2 and IEM Chengdu 2025 present that indicators of breaking into the higher echelons of Counter-Strike are actually there. G2 Esports begins Stage 3 towards a Ardour UA facet trying to present North America can nonetheless compete alongside Europe and Asia.

PaiN Gaming caught the Counter-Strike world unexpectedly on the 2025 Austin Main, scoring an sudden top-four end to cement its place as certainly one of South America’s high groups. Whereas its success in Austin catapulted the group into the highlight, the group has struggled all through the second half of the yr. 

A string of disappointing performances at IEM Cologne 2025 and the CS Asia Championship 2025 noticed paiN Gaming tumble down the worldwide VRS, leaving many questioning if its Austin efficiency was a fluke. 

In November, its kind from earlier within the yr had seemingly returned because of a top-four end at BLAST Rivals Fall 2025, which featured wins over TYLOO and Ardour UA. The Brazilian facet faces an in-form 3DMAX in spherical certainly one of Stage 3.

NAVI was the strongest group from the Budapest Main’s Stage 2, incomes qualification on the earliest doable moments with three wins and the bottom quantity of rounds conceded.

The Ukrainian facet dominated FlyQuest in spherical one earlier than besting Imperial Esports to arrange a third-round match towards fellow Ukrainians, B8. A snug 2-0 sweep sealed the deal for NAVI, a group that has demonstrated its capacity to contend towards groups usually seen on the high of the worldwide standings. 

NAVI takes on FURIA in spherical certainly one of Stage 3. The 2 sides just lately met on the Thunderpick World Championship, and though FURIA accomplished a reverse sweep, NAVI has the expertise required to attain success.

FaZe Clan stays an enigma on the Budapest Main, because of its unpredictability. On its day, the Purple Militia is greater than able to competing among the many world’s greatest, however any inconsistencies may show disastrous for a group usually surviving by slim margins. 

The group scraped by means of Stage 1 with hard-fought wins over RED Canids and Fluxo, whereas Stage 2 noticed FaZe appear to be a very completely different group on the server. Victories towards Ardour UA, Aurora Gaming, and Ninjas in Pyjamas cemented a 3-0 file, proving the FaZe Clan magic continues to be there. 

FaZe Clan begins Stage 3 towards the French powerhouse of Staff Vitality. The 2 sides confronted off towards one another at ESL Professional League Season 22, with FaZe Clan opening the sequence with a double time beyond regulation win on Mirage. Staff Vitality ultimately gained the sequence, however the firepower of FaZe Clan gave certainly one of CS2’s greatest groups a run for its cash.

B8 is without doubt one of the final groups standing from Stage 1 of the Budapest Main. Stage 2 was one other robust exhibiting for the Ukrainians, scoring wins over Staff Liquid, Fnatic, and 3DMAX to e-book its place within the third stage.  

Making Stage 3 is an enchancment from its Austin Main marketing campaign, the place it was eradicated in Stage 2 following defeats to FURIA and Lynn Imaginative and prescient Gaming. Whereas the eye is on Counter-Strike’s huge names, B8 may fly underneath the radar as an underdog facet armed with the firepower required to spring a shock. 

B8’s first match is towards Staff Falcons, a formidable roster that’s peaking on the proper time. Even with a star-studded roster on the opposite facet of the server, B8 has already confirmed it could beat robust opposition in a best-of-one.

South America’s deep pool of expertise continues to make an impression on the Budapest Main, with Imperial Esports navigating its means by means of the primary two levels to safe a spot within the high 16. 

The Brazilians beat MIBR, Fnatic, and M80 en path to Stage 3, marking a big enchancment from its Austin Main marketing campaign, the place it bowed out of Stage 1 with a 1-3 file.

Stage 3 begins with a conflict towards The MongolZ, a group competing with a brief stand-in. The unpredictable nature of a best-of-one may play in favour of Imperial Esports because it seems to finish the yr on a excessive.

After profitable ESL Challenger League earlier than heading to Budapest, Parivision has hit kind when it issues most because the group seems to put the foundations for a powerful finish to 2025 forward of its 2026 marketing campaign. 

The group, led by Dzhami ‘Jame’ Ali, scored notable wins over GamerLegion and Legacy in Stage 1. The organisation then continued this momentum with Stage 2 wins over Staff Liquid, Aurora Gaming, and Ninjas in Pyjamas to e-book its place within the closing stage.

With 4 of the 5 Parivision gamers making their Main debut, a best-of-one towards MOUZ may show to be an thrilling contest.

Staff Liquid’s turbulent yr virtually continued with an early elimination in Stage 2. After defeats to B8 and Parivision, the group was on the again foot. Because of this, three best-of-three wins have been required to remain alive. 

Victories over MIBR and TYLOO secured a spot in spherical 5, with the group needing to beat Astralis in one other best-of-three to advance. Staff Liquid regarded the superior facet from the outset, sweeping apart the Danes to earn a spot in Stage 3.

Staff Liquid’s opening match towards Staff Spirit is a difficult hurdle to beat, however one which’s not inconceivable if the group can hearth on all cylinders.

Ardour UA grew to become North America’s sole consultant in Stage 3 after making a formidable run by means of all 5 rounds of Stage 2. A gap defeat to FaZe Clan was shortly adopted by a 13-10 win over MIBR to stay in competition. 

Defeat to 3DMAX halted any momentum generated from the MIBR outcome. Regardless of this, the previous Complexity core nonetheless had a possibility to advance. A 2-0 sweep over Fnatic, adopted by a 2-1 victory towards the man North People of M80, was sufficient to earn a spot within the final stage earlier than the playoffs. 

G2 Esports awaits Ardour UA in its first best-of-one of Stage 3. A sizzling begin for the group may act as a catalyst for some shock outcomes towards the massive names. 

The ultimate group competing in Stage 3 of the StarLadder Budapest Main is the all-French roster of 3DMAX. All year long, the group has proven glimmers of its true potential, with spectacular showings at ESL Professional League Season 22 and a second-place end on the CS Asia Championship 2025. 

A gap loss to Fnatic in Stage 2 wasn’t sufficient to find out 3DMAX, occurring to brush apart FlyQuest and Ardour UA to place itself on the verge of qualification. A detailed 2-1 defeat to B8 put a halt to advancing, with Ninjas in Pyjamas standing in its means. 

A robust defensive show on Historical and Prepare proved the distinction towards the Ninjas, securing a 2-0 sweep and a possibility to proceed the French resurgence within the Hungarian capital. A round-one match towards paiN Gaming awaits a group armed with a wealth of firepower and expertise to provide anybody a run for his or her cash.

Stage 3 of the Budapest Main begins on December 4th at 12 PM GMT. A complete of 16 best-of-ones will happen, with groups trying to finish the day with two wins to their title.

Followers can tune into the motion throughout the match organiser’s Twitch, YouTube, and Kick channels.