What to Watch — Esports World Cup CS2 Viewer Guide

The Counter-Strike 2 Esports World Cup 2025 runs August 20–24 in Riyadh with 16 teams, a $1,250,000 prize pool, and a single-elimination format—no groups, just straight knockouts leading to a best-of-five grand final. NAVI return as defending champions, while Vitality, Astralis, The MongolZ, and Spirit are among the key teams to follow. Matches begin right from day one with top-tier clashes like NaVi vs 3DMAX and Vitality vs Liquid. You can watch live on HLTV, EgamersWorld, YouTube, or Twitch, with Spirit and The MongolZ shaping up as favorites for the title.

Main Points in CS2 EWC: Breakdown

The Counter-Strike 2 Esports World Cup 2025 will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from August 20–24, bringing together 16 elite teams to compete for a massive $1,250,000 prize pool. The tournament follows a single-elimination format, with best-of-three matches from the Round of 16 through the semifinals, before culminating in a best-of-five grand final on August 24.

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EWC 2025 Schedule

The Counter-Strike 2 Esports World Cup 2025 will use a single-elimination format with no group stage, meaning every match is a direct knockout. Sixteen teams start in the Round of 16, with best-of-three series deciding who advances through the playoffs. The intensity builds until the grand final, which will be played as a best-of-five to crown the champion.

• Aug 20 – Natus Vincere vs 3DMAX
• Aug 20 – GamerLegion vs The MongolZ
• Aug 20 – Team Vitality vs Team Liquid
• Aug 20 – Astralis vs TYLOO
• Aug 20 – FaZe Clan vs Aurora
• Aug 20 – HEROIC vs Team Spirit
• Aug 21 – Virtus.pro vs MOUZ
• Aug 21 – Team Falcons vs G2 Esports

Natus Vincere enters the Counter-Strike 2 Esports World Cup 2025 as the reigning champions, looking to defend the title they claimed at the 2024 edition of the tournament. With a legacy of big-stage performances, NAVI will aim to prove once again that they can handle the pressure and stay on top of the global Counter-Strike scene.

Teams Must-Have to Watch

EWC 2025 has a very short and intense format due to the absence of group matches, which means you can start watching from day one, as the top teams will already be playing on August 20. The focus should be on the strongest rosters in the current CS2 landscape, so here are the teams that deserve the closest attention.

Also, the author Danil prepared a clear division of teams into favorites and underdogs in the participants of the 2025 EWC, so read more about the teams there.

NaVi

Of course, you have to watch NaVi’s matches – can they defend their Esports World Cup champion title? Even though the team is showing much weaker results compared to last year and their chances of reaching the Grand Final are slim, it’s still worth seeing how far they can go this time.

Vtality

The biggest question in CS today is whether Vitality can restore their absolute dominance. Their early 2025 season was nothing short of historic, making the first half of the year their era by winning six tournaments in a row, including a Major and a Grand Slam. However, they dropped out in the semifinals of the last two events, raising doubts about whether the decline in their form will continue.

Astralis

It’s also refreshing to see Astralis appearing more often at tier-1 tournaments and showing stable play. They’re steadily gaining momentum, and while the team’s current level still requires a lot of work, their name alone sparks excitement thanks to their past glory as one of the most dominant teams in history.

The MongolZ

Another strong contender for long-term success is The MongolZ. The squad from Mongolia has gained valuable experience and matured significantly in their play. Their crushing victory over Vitality at BLAST Bounty showed that their consistent playoff runs without top-three finishes have fueled their motivation to push further. Their recent setback only seemed to ignite them more, and they clearly understand their own potential. This team feels like the “main character” of the story, and right now, they’re at the climax.

Team Spirit

And finally, Team Spirit. They’ve won two tournaments in a row, with donk taking MVP both times. Their recent roster change worked in their favor, and they now stand as one of the top favorites for this event. A team at the very peak, a target of heavy criticism, and a serious contender for the trophy. May they end up exactly where they deserve.

How to Watch CS2 EWC 2025?

Platforms like HLTV, EgamersWorld, and others offer direct CS2 live streams on their tournament pages. To watch the EWC 2025 Counter-Strike matches, you can also simply tune in to the official EWC channel on YouTube or Twitch. The broadcasts are no different; it all depends on your preferences.

Our Prediction for the Esports World Cup

I bet on it being interesting. I bet on a spectacle and a beautiful Counter Strike!... And seriously, Spirit will probably win, unless the hungry and cool Mongols get in their way. MOUZ is also on the radar, a pretty strong team, but they can miss more often than Mongols, so Spirit vs. Mongols is in sight in the Grand Final of the Esports World Cup 2025 of Counter-Strike 2. But everything will turn out completely unexpectedly within reason, for example, Vitality vs. MOUZ.