StarLadder Reveals Opening Matchups for Budapest Major 2025 Stage 1

StarLadder Reveals Opening Matchups for Budapest Major 2025 Stage 1

StarLadder has officially unveiled the opening pairings for Stage 1 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, set to begin on November 24 in Budapest, Hungary. Sixteen teams will compete in a Swiss stage with best-of-one openers, aiming to advance to Stage 2 of the 32-team Major, which runs from November 24 to December 14 with a total prize pool of $1.17 million.

Stage 1 serves as the lowest-seeded phase of the event and will take place in front of a live audience, reflecting the new Major model where all three Swiss stages and the playoffs are hosted on LAN.

Format Recap for Stage 1

Dates: November 24–27

Teams: 16 participants

Format: Swiss system

Match type: Initial matches best-of-one; progression and elimination matches best-of-three

Advancement: Three wins secure progression to Stage 2; three losses mean elimination

Across all stages, the Budapest Major will feature 32 teams and a $1.17 million prize pool, marking it as the second CS2 Major of 2025.

Opening Matchups

All first-round matches are currently scheduled for November 24 at 10:00 local time.

Legacy vs FlyQuest

Brazilian side Legacy will face FlyQuest in the first matchup of the Major. Legacy arrive as one of the region’s most in-form squads, featuring dumau, latto, lux, n1ssim, and saadzin.

FlyQuest present an Australian-European lineup with Vexite, INS, nettik, regali, and jks, coached by Aaron “AZR” Ward, who recently transitioned into a full-time coaching role. AZR explained that he’s “changed a lot of stuff with positions in the team that [he] feels make more sense,” noting that the roster is still adjusting to its new system.

fnatic vs RED Canids

fnatic open their Major campaign against RED Canids. The team recently benched Cai “CYPHER” Watson, bringing in Nikita “jackasmo” Skyba as a starter for Budapest.

CYPHER expressed disappointment over the decision, calling it “kinda crazy” after finally qualifying for a Major for the first time in two years. Team in-game leader Rodion “fear” Smyk had previously stated that fnatic would finalize their starting lineup “close to the Major,” confirming that the choice was made at the last moment.

FaZe vs Lynn Vision

One of the biggest names in Stage 1, FaZe, will face Chinese representatives Lynn Vision.

FaZe have endured a turbulent 2025, reshuffling their lineup but regaining form after re-signing broky and adding young talent jcobbb. Team captain Finn “karrigan” Andersen recently summarized the team’s expectations: “When you join FaZe Clan, it’s all about getting trophies.”

Lynn Vision qualified through the new Valve Regional Standings system, earning their place as one of Asia’s top teams.

PARIVISION vs The Huns

Dzhami “Jame” Ali’s new team PARIVISION will make their Major debut against The Huns from Mongolia.

PARIVISION’s qualification was considered unlikely early in the season, with coach Dastan “dastan” Akbayev admitting that there was “no heavy pressure” and the team was simply trying to win as many matches as possible. Jame also commented, “I don’t even want to think about it,” when asked about their chances of qualifying — highlighting the team’s unexpected rise.

B8 vs M80

Ukrainian side B8 will take on M80 from North America. B8 drew attention with deep runs in events like StarSeries, while M80 have established themselves as one of NA’s most promising projects, combining solid online and LAN performances to secure their Major berth.

Ninjas in Pyjamas vs NRG

Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) will face NRG in a Europe-versus-North America matchup.

NiP’s refreshed roster revolves around veterans Snappi and sjuush, with rising stars r1nkle and xKacpersky, aiming to restore consistency after a year of roster instability.

NRG, meanwhile, return to the Major stage with a mixed NA–EU roster of nitr0, Sonic, br0, XotiC, and Jeorge, coached by daps.

GamerLegion vs Fluxo

GamerLegion open against Brazilian side Fluxo.

This will be the first Major appearance for GamerLegion’s new core, which includes REZ and ztr, while Fluxo bring a strong lineup featuring arT, Lucaozy, zevy, decenty, and kye, led by coach tacitus.

Imperial vs Rare Atom

Rounding out the first round, Imperial will face Rare Atom from China.

Imperial’s lineup blends Brazilian and Argentine talent with chelo, VINI, skullz, try, and noway. Rare Atom, another Asian representative, will look to deliver an upset after solid showings in their regional circuit.

Broader Budapest Major Context

Best-of-Five Grand Final and Live Audience

The Budapest Major will be the first Counter-Strike Major to feature a best-of-five grand final, aligning it with other top-tier esports events. All three Swiss stages and the playoffs will be played in front of live audiences.

Group stages will be hosted at MTK Sportpark (around 2,000 seats), while the playoffs will take place in the 20,000-seat MVM Dome with a 360-degree stage setup — making it one of the most ambitious productions in Major history.

Major Structure and Valve’s 32-Team Era

Valve expanded the Major format in 2025 from 24 to 32 teams, introducing an additional Swiss stage and a new qualification system based on Valve Regional Standings (VRS) and Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs).

The Major’s structure:

Stage 1: Nov 24–27

Stage 2: Nov 29–Dec 2

Stage 3: Dec 4–7

Playoffs: Dec 11–14

Budapest follows the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, with teams’ VRS rankings determining whether they received direct invitations or had to qualify through MRQs.

Broadcast Talent Lineup

StarLadder has announced a 15-person talent crew for the event, featuring some of the most well-known figures in the scene:

Hosts & Analysts: James Banks, Freya, Tech Girl, Pimp, devilwalk, Mauisnake, Tedd

Casters: SPUNJ–Machine, Scrawny–Launders, Hugo–justHarry, Moses–Dinko

StarLadder also teased special guests who will join throughout the Major.

Favorites and Expert Predictions

Coach Luis “peacemaker” Tadeu described the Budapest Major as one of the most unpredictable events in recent years, saying “the field feels wide open” after a season full of roster changes and surprise winners.

He listed Vitality as the top favorite due to their recent Pro League title and FURIA as another strong contender after consecutive tournament victories and an increasingly balanced style.

Road to Budapest: Qualification and Distribution

The final 32 teams were determined through Valve’s updated ranking system and MRQs. The regional distribution for Budapest mirrors that of Austin earlier in the year, with Europe holding the largest share of slots, followed by the Americas and Asia.

This structure allowed rising teams such as Legacy, Imperial, NRG, Fluxo, B8, Rare Atom, and Lynn Vision to reach Stage 1, while established heavyweights like Vitality, Spirit, Falcons, and G2 will join in later stages.

Storylines to Watch in Stage 1

fnatic’s roster shake-up: CYPHER benched after qualifying, replaced by jackasmo at the last minute.

PARIVISION’s underdog run: Jame’s new team went from long-shot contenders to Major qualifiers.

Legacy as Brazil’s new powerhouse, entering Stage 1 as one of the top seeds.

FlyQuest’s restructure under AZR, with the coach redefining roles across the roster.

FaZe’s redemption arc, beginning their Major journey earlier than usual as they aim to return to title-winning form.