IEM Chengdu 2025 is the penultimate Tier 1 Counter-Strike occasion of 2025. For a number of of the world’s finest groups, the event is one other alternative to compete on LAN earlier than consideration turns to the StarLadder Budapest Main.
Sixteen groups from August’s Valve Regional Standings (VRS) have accepted invites to compete in China from November third to ninth, 2025. With a crowd current from the Group Stage, groups might be thrust straight into the limelight because the battle for a playoff place begins.
A number of Championship Contenders
With 9 of the highest 10 groups from October’s VRS in motion, IEM Chengdu 2025 is shaping as much as be one of the aggressive occasions of the yr to date. The likes of Staff Vitality, FURIA and Staff Spirit have an opportunity to stamp their authority on the high of the Tier 1 scene forward of the Main.
Victory for Staff Vitality would add one other notable accolade to its ever-expanding trophy cupboard, together with a 3rd contribution to its ESL Grand Slam marketing campaign. The French organisation begins its marketing campaign with a match towards Virtus.professional.
FURIA’s robust second half of the yr has moved the multinational staff among the many world’s finest, placing it in a wonderful place to contend for tournaments usually along with being thought-about as a possible Main winner.
Staff Spirit hasn’t been in motion since scoring a top-eight end at ESL Professional League Season 22. After a brief break, the staff is all the time within the dialog for outright victory, particularly with Danil ‘donk’ Kryshkovets excelling with a rifle in hand.
Staff Falcons stays a pressure to be reckoned with in worldwide Counter-Strike. Having positioned no decrease than fourth in 2025, and the pairing of Ilya ‘M0NESY’ Osipov and Maksim ‘kyousuke’ Lukin starting to synergise, the Saudi organisation is constructing in the direction of securing its first occasion win since April.
Lots Of Upset Potential
With a number of groups able to lifting the trophy, there are additionally a handful of groups able to flying beneath the radar and inflicting an upset.
After securing a playoff place at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, HEROIC appears to be like decided to finish the yr on a excessive observe after narrowly lacking out on Main qualification. Even after a number of roster adjustments, the Norwegian organisation continues to discover a approach of competing on the high.
The Chinese language sides of Lynn Imaginative and prescient Gaming and TYLOO are not any strangers in relation to springing a shock towards the established names. With the area persevering with to cement its place alongside Europe and North America, there’s an opportunity the pair can impress in entrance of their house crowd.
A New Chapter For The MongolZ
After topping the October VRS, The MongolZ had cemented its place among the many world’s finest groups following victory on the Esports World Cup and ending runner-up to Staff Vitality on the BLAST.television Austin Main.
Forward of Chengdu, the staff made the shock determination to bench Azbayar ‘Senzu’ Munkhbold from the beginning lineup, leaving it trying to find a brand new addition in a bid to maintain maintain of its high spot.
Chengdu will mark the debut of Unudelger ‘controlez’ Baasanjargal, a rifler armed with a wealth of expertise. Nevertheless, it stays to be seen whether or not controlez possesses the identical degree of firepower as Senzu, who was thought-about The MongolZ’s finest participant in its most up-to-date event outings.
With restricted time to combine controlez into the beginning lineup, it is going to be fascinating to see whether or not The MongolZ will proceed its high quality run of kind or battle to make it out of a bunch that includes Staff Falcons and Staff Spirit.
IEM Chengdu 2025 Group Stage Predictions
Of the 16 groups competing within the Group Stage, solely six will advance to the Playoffs for a possibility to elevate the trophy and win the lion’s share of the prize pool.
Group A appears to be like to be an thrilling prospect with Staff Falcons and Staff Spirit seeking to construct some pre-Main momentum. Based mostly on latest kind, HEROIC might trigger an upset towards a new-look MongolZ, opening the door for Astralis or NAVI to make a run.
On the opposite facet of the bracket, it’s a good nearer contest with Staff Vitality, FURIA, 3DMAX, G2 Esports, MOUZ, and FaZe Clan all able to besting one another on any given day.
Regardless of lacking out on outright victory all year long, MOUZ’s consistency makes it onerous to rule the staff out of one other playoff look.
IEM Chengdu 2025 Predicted Playoff Groups: Staff Falcons, Staff Spirit, NAVI, Staff Vitality, FURIA, MOUZ
