Aurora Gaming Break Into Valve CS2 Top 3 as FaZe Clan Crash Out of Top 20 Ahead of Major Invites

Aurora Gaming have surged into the Top 3 of Valve’s CS2 rankings, while FaZe Clan have dropped out of the Top 20—putting their Major hopes in serious danger ahead of the April 6 invite cutoff.

Aurora Gaming Reach Career-High in Valve CS2 Rankings

Aurora Gaming have officially climbed to third place in the latest Valve Regional Standings (VRS), marking the organization’s highest-ever position in Counter-Strike 2.

The Turkish squad now sits behind only

Team Vitality (1st)

Natus Vincere (2nd)

Aurora reached 1,802 points, overtaking strong contenders like

FURIA

MOUZ

This rise comes at a crucial moment, as Valve rankings directly determine invites to upcoming CS2 Majors, including the next IEM Cologne Major 2026.

Why the April 6 Ranking Update Is Critical

The next Valve ranking update on April 6, 2026, will decide which teams receive direct invitations to the Major.

The VRS system evaluates:

Prize money earned

Strength of opponents defeated

Head-to-head results

Overall tournament performance

For Aurora, staying in the Top 3 almost guarantees a deep seeding into the Major, avoiding early-stage elimination matches.

Aurora’s Rise: Results Back the Ranking

Aurora’s ranking jump is supported by strong recent performances:

ESL Pro League Season 23 – Grand Final appearance

BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 – Playoff run

At Rotterdam, Aurora defeated

FaZe Clan

FURIA

The MongolZ

before falling to NAVI.

After one of those key wins,
Caner 'soulfly' Kesici stated:

“I really want to beat Vitality… I want to prove we’re different from others.”

He also emphasized that their victories were crucial for securing higher-stage Major invites.

Internal Challenges: XANTARES Injury Concern

Despite their success, Aurora are not without issues.

Team leader
Engin 'MAJ3R' Küpeli
revealed that
İsmailcan 'XANTARES' Dörtkardeş

has been struggling with a hand injury:

“Sometimes he feels pain.”

This adds uncertainty heading into the Major cycle, especially given XANTARES’ key role in the team’s firepower.

FaZe Clan Collapse: Out of Top 20 and Major in Doubt

While Aurora rise,
FaZe Clan are experiencing a dramatic سقوط.

The international roster has now:

Dropped outside the Top 20 in Valve rankings

Lost to Passion UA and fnatic in recent events

Seen their Major qualification chances collapse

If FaZe fail to recover before April 6, they risk missing their first Counter-Strike Major after 16 consecutive appearances.

Team captain
Finn 'karrigan' Andersen
previously described their form bluntly:

“Our start to 2026 has been completely shit.”

He also admitted:

“Everybody is part of the problem.”

What’s Next for Aurora Gaming

Aurora’s schedule remains packed ahead of the Major cutoff.

They are set to compete in:

BLAST Slam VII European Closed Qualifier (April 2–3)

alongside teams like NAVI and PARIVISION.

These matches could still influence final seeding and momentum going into the Major.

CS2 Power Shift Ahead of the Major

The latest Valve rankings highlight a clear shift in the CS2 competitive landscape:

Aurora Gaming are emerging as a new elite contender

FaZe Clan are facing one of the steepest declines in tier-one CS history

With the Major invite deadline approaching, every match now carries massive weight—and Aurora are peaking at exactly the right time.