EYEBALLERS Triumph at Red Bull GIBAWAY Journey 2025 in Åre, Sweden

EYEBALLERS Triumph at Red Bull GIBAWAY Journey 2025 in Åre, Sweden

EYEBALLERS have claimed the Red Bull GIBAWAY Journey 2025 title in Åre, Sweden, defeating BetBoom 2–1 in the grand final to secure their first LAN trophy in almost two years. The victory also boosts Jesper “JW” Wecksell’s squad in the Valve Regional Standings after a strong run through both the group stage and playoffs at the boutique LAN event.

Route to the Title

The $10,443 Red Bull GIBAWAY Journey 2025 brought together 24 European teams at Holiday Club Åre, with EYEBALLERS ultimately taking the $5,222 winner’s share after two days of competition.

In the best-of-one group stage, the Swedish lineup posted a 4–1 record, their only loss coming against the Danish side MASONIC. Despite that stumble, EYEBALLERS comfortably advanced to the playoffs.

Once in the elimination bracket, the team found another level of form. They first dispatched ENCE, then crushed AM 2–0 in the semi-finals, dropping just five rounds across Ancient (13–4) and Inferno (13–1). Their dominance secured an early spot in the grand final in Åre.

The championship match against BetBoom proved to be a thrilling three-map affair. The CIS squad struck first on Mirage (16–13), but EYEBALLERS bounced back with victories on Ancient (13–10) and Train (13–8) to complete the comeback and lift the trophy.

Standout Performers

Jonatan “bobeksde” Persson emerged as the standout performer of the grand final, finishing the three-map series with a 1.38 rating and 69 kills, the highest numbers in the server.

In the semi-final versus AM, all four core players—bobeksde, JW, Sebastian “dex” Samuelsson, and Kalle “Ro1f” Johansson—posted ratings above 1.30. Their crisp trading and unrelenting aggression left AM with no room to recover.

EYEBALLERS lineup:

Jesper “JW” Wecksell

Max “maxster” Jansson

Kalle “Ro1f” Johansson

Jonatan “bobeksde” Persson

Sebastian “dex” Samuelsson

Faruk “pita” Pita (coach)

Historical Context and Ranking Impact

This marks EYEBALLERS’ first LAN victory since Svenska Cupen 2023, the tournament that symbolized the rebirth of the legendary Swedish organization under JW and Robin “flusha” Rönnquist. JW remains the only active player from that championship roster.

The triumph in Åre comes just as the team prepares for another major domestic challenge—Svenska Cupen 2025, set to begin on November 12, where they’ll face fellow Swedish opponents in their opening match.

The win also had a measurable impact on the global rankings. EYEBALLERS climbed from #59 to #47 in the world, while runners-up BetBoom rose from #28 to #21. Semi-finalists AM, featuring Nils “k1to” Gruhne and Alexander “Altekz” Givskov, surged from #219 to #80, making them one of the tournament’s biggest surprises.

Star Names, Shocks, and Player Reactions

The Åre LAN attracted attention not only for EYEBALLERS’ success but also for the participation—and early elimination—of some of Counter-Strike’s biggest names.

The event, billed as a tier-two European LAN with star appeal, featured Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev and Denis “electroNic” Sharipov, who were making their first LAN appearance with BC.Game.

However, both BC.Game and Inner Circle were knocked out before the quarter-finals. BC.Game finished third in their group after losses to AM and Alliance, and then fell to Sashi in their first playoff match—ending the s1mple/electroNic run much earlier than expected.

Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov, captain of BetBoom and EYEBALLERS’ final opponent, joked about the situation on Telegram:

“Why do s1mple and electronic play for nexa, and where B1T with Perfecto are?”

The remark referred to his former NAVI teammates now playing for different teams and highlighted the surreal reunion of ex-NAVI stars at a small Swedish LAN.

Meanwhile, William “draken” Sundin of Johnny Speeds praised the event’s organization, calling it “så jävla bra uppstyrt” (“so insanely well organized”). He noted that, compared to other LANs in 2025, Red Bull GIBAWAY’s production and player facilities stood out as exceptional.

EYEBALLERS and Red Bull GIBAWAY: Broader Context

The GIBAWAY project has become a fixture on Sweden’s esports calendar. The 2025 edition was promoted as a “boutique gaming experience”, blending competitive Counter-Strike with real-life activities and festival-style entertainment at the mountain resort of Åre.

For EYEBALLERS, this win is the next step in a long-term revival. The iconic Swedish organization was resurrected in 2022 by JW and flusha, quickly reclaiming relevance with a domestic title in Svenska Cupen 2023. Since then, the org has attracted new co-owners, including singer Victor Leksell, NHL player Adrian Kempe, and the co-founders of GeoGuessr.

Now, with a new LAN title in Counter-Strike 2, rising international rankings, and another home tournament on the horizon, EYEBALLERS’ Red Bull GIBAWAY Journey 2025 triumph stands as a defining moment in their path back toward the upper echelons of competitive Counter-Strike.