State of CS2 Teams Ahead of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 — November 2025

The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 — one of the biggest CS2 tournaments of the year — is just around the corner. It’s important to understand that the current team rankings do not affect this Major, as all invites were issued in advance. However, as of November 2025, the competitive landscape has shifted dramatically, and the balance of power looks very different from when those invitations were first allocated.

In this article, we break down the current team rankings: how the VRS system works, which official lists Valve maintains, what the HLTV top-30 looks like, and how our VRS Ranking section on EGamersWorld helps track real competitive form ahead of the Major.

CS2 Rankings Overview

Counter-Strike 2 features several key ranking systems that shape our understanding of team strength across regions and globally. The central one is the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) — an official ranking introduced in 2023 alongside the new qualification model for Majors. It replaced the RMR system and now determines regional slot distribution, invitations to Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs), and seeding at Majors. The model factors in prize money earned, strength of defeated opponents, head-to-head results, and performance over the last six months. It updates weekly, and its regional lists determine who qualifies for MRQs — including for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, whose invites have already been finalized.

Alongside this, Valve maintains the Valve Global Ranking, which evaluates teams across three macro-regions: Europe, Americas, and Asia. While the current Major is already locked, this ranking is used for determining direct invitations to major international events, including top-tier partner tournaments and future Majors. The Global Ranking reflects the overall competitive balance of the scene and influences which teams consistently receive spots at the most prestigious events of the season.

Another influential list in the ecosystem is the HLTV World Ranking — unofficial, but traditionally popular among fans, journalists, and analysts for assessing current form. It plays an especially important role in media coverage and tournament previews, including Major events such as Budapest 2025.

CS2 Rankings on EGamersWorld

Our website features a dedicated CS2 Valve Regional Standings (VRS) Ranking section, where you can view the full up-to-date team standings. It displays all key metrics: total prize money earned, current roster, and the team’s exact position in the ranking.

Convenient filters are also available. You can select any da8te to view historical rankings from previous months or switch between Worldwide, Americas, Asia, and Europe lists. This makes it easy to track team dynamics and quickly find relevant information for analytics or news coverage.

FURIA as the Favorites of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

At the beginning of the year, FURIA struggled with consistently poor results, finishing most major events in the 12th–16th range. The turning point came when skullz was benched and YEKINDAR joined as a stand-in for BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025. Their first major breakthrough followed shortly — a 4th place at PGL Astana 2025. At the Austin Major, FURIA reached the playoffs and placed 5th–8th. Soon after, YEKINDAR was officially signed as a full-time player. Together with molodoy, the Kazakh AWPer who joined earlier, FURIA transformed into a genuinely international roster.

Their results surged almost immediately. The team won FISSURE Playground #2, and over the next months secured three consecutive championships: Thunderpick World Championship 2025, Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025, and BLAST Rivals Fall 2025. Four titles in six months — a dramatic rise.

At the same time, Vitality, the champions of BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, lost to FURIA in two separate grand finals. Most notably, Vitality — the most successful team of the year — were defeated in a Bo5 series, the same format used for the Budapest Major grand final. With both teams trending upward, a rematch is highly possible.

Given their winning streak, excellent form, and newfound confidence, FURIA enter the Major as one of the clear favorites. They have the momentum and structure to prove that Brazilian CS remains a strong force and to contend for the most prestigious trophy in Counter-Strike.

What’s Going Wrong With the Other Top Teams?

Team Spirit, driven by the incredible individual skill of donk, held the No.1 ranking earlier in the year, collecting titles at BLAST Bounty Spring 2025, PGL Astana 2025, IEM Cologne 2025, and BLAST Bounty Fall 2025. However, after the Esports World Cup 2025, they consistently reached only the playoff stage and couldn’t go further. Donk’s mechanical brilliance and game sense remain unmatched, but at a Major with such intense competition and pressure, one superstar cannot carry the entire team.

NAVI entered the season with high expectations but faced numerous setbacks, including early exits and a quarterfinal finish at the Austin Major. A bright spot came at StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025, where they defeated NiP in a difficult final. Their performance at Thunderpick World Championship 2025 — a close 2–3 loss to FURIA in a Bo5 — showed they still possess strong fundamentals. With players like w0nderful and b1t capable of stepping up at crucial moments, NAVI remain a dangerous opponent, though consistency is still a concern.

The MongolZ were one of the biggest surprises of the year, securing 2nd place at the Austin Major and BLAST Bounty Fall 2025, as well as winning the Esports World Cup 2025. Despite these achievements, a shocking decision followed in October: senzu, one of their top performers, was benched. His replacement, controlez from Chinggis Warriors, created uncertainty among fans and analysts. As a result, The MongolZ now appear weaker on paper, and their prospects for the Major are difficult to predict.

As for MOUZ, Astralis, FaZe Clan, and G2 Esports, all four teams have shown relatively similar, inconsistent performance over recent months. MOUZ, frequent top-4 finishers, are eager to finally lift another trophy. Astralis continue searching for the formula to revive their former dominance. FaZe Clan, now competing without rain, rely on their vast experience to produce deep runs. G2 Esports, with the additions of coach sAw, SunPayus, and matys, managed to win BLAST Open Fall 2025, but failed to turn that victory into lasting momentum.

With so many storylines converging, the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is shaping up to be not only the most important tournament of the season, but one of the defining events of the year.

The Road to the Budapest Major Begins

Ahead of us is the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, which will run from November 24 to December 14. Thirty-two teams from around the world will compete for the top prize of $500,000 (with a total prize pool of $1,250,000) and the title of champion. Three weeks of thrilling matches await — intense battles, upsets, and heartbreak. You can always follow all match results on our website.