A complete of 16 groups will signify the continent on the StarLadder Budapest Main 2025, the second Valve-sanctioned event that can spherical out the 2025 season for its first-person shooter title.
To date, the European area stays a formidable drive in Counter-Strike 2, with seven of the highest ten groups from the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) hailing from it, together with a number of former Main winners.
Europe is packed filled with expertise and is able to lifting the trophy within the Hungarian capital. Within the first a part of a three-part preview of Counter-Strike’s second Main of 2025, Esports Insider takes a better have a look at the European sides in rivalry for the title
Iconic Names In Stage 1
Six European sides start their Budapest marketing campaign within the opening stage of the event, starting on November twenty fourth, 2025.
After exhibiting indicators of enchancment following the Austin Main, GamerLegion has struggled to search out any consistency heading into Budapest. Since IEM Dallas 2025 in Might, the staff has positioned no greater than the highest eight. A fourth place at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 might’ve been a much better end result for a staff able to difficult the area’s high expertise.
Elsewhere in Stage 1, Fnatic and Ninjas in Pyjamas look to start their Majors with victories after scoring strong placements in latest months.
For Fnatic, victory at Fragadelphia Blocktober secured its place in Budapest, however the shock benching of Cai ‘CYPHER‘ Watson following the occasion leaves a number of query marks on a roster that has the firepower to spring surprises over superior opposition.
The final time Ninjas in Pyjamas competed at a Tier 1 occasion was IEM Cologne 2025, the place the Swedish organisation scored a top-12 end. Two months later, the staff completed runner-up to NAVI at StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025, exhibiting glimpses of ability that might spark a deep run.
FaZe Clan is among the many European contingent starting its Main in Stage 1. Like many others within the opening stage, the staff has chopped and adjusted its beginning lineup with the purpose of discovering success.
The return of Russel ‘Twistzz‘ Van Dulken has but to yield the outcomes that noticed it win the PGL Antwerp Main in 2022, placing it able the place a sluggish begin could possibly be disastrous.
A New Hope For Crew Liquid
The return of Jonathan ‘ELiGE‘ Jablonowski to the Crew Liquid beginning lineup following the departure of Twistzz hopes to rekindle the shape that noticed it compete for event wins.
ELiGE’s newest tenure with the staff has began with indicators of enchancment, with third-place finishes at Birch Cup 2025 and the CS Asia Championship 2025. A top-eight end at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 included a victory over Legacy, whereas a shock defeat to SAW put an finish to any hopes of a championship earlier than the Main.
Crew Liquid begins the Budapest Main in Stage 2 alongside the likes of PGL Masters Bucharest champions Aurora Gaming, StarLadder StarSeries Fall winners NAVI, and FISSURE Playground 1 champions TYLOO.
The staff has a wealth of expertise in Tier 1 competitors, and if it could actually string collectively some early victories, there’s all the time an opportunity of Crew Liquid making a deep run.
A number of Championship Contenders
All through 2025, the European area has seen a number of groups lifting the most important trophies Counter-Strike esports has to supply. In June, Crew Vitality received the BLAST.television Austin Main, rounding off 4 months of whole dominance.
Regardless of just a few cracks within the as soon as impenetrable armour, the French esports organisation has positioned itself as certainly one of Europe’s powerhouse groups that has a confirmed monitor document of excelling in Main tournaments.
Elsewhere, the likes of Crew Falcons and MOUZ proceed to show unbelievable ranges of consistency with common playoff and Grand Last appearances. For each groups, victory in Budapest might act as a breakthrough second to put the foundations for a robust 2026.
Crew Spirit stays a drive to be reckoned with. With out a win since August, the staff is all the time able to giving the likes of Crew Vitality and Crew Falcons a run for his or her cash. Danil ‘donk‘ Kryshkovets is broadly thought-about the most effective rifler on the earth and continues to show highlight-worthy moments to maintain the staff in rivalry.
If Crew Spirit can hearth on all cylinders at StarLadder Budapest Main, there’s a really sturdy probability of it making one other playoff look.
