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We turn our attention to the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, one of the most anticipated offline CS2 events of the 2025 competitive season. The tournament features a $1,250,000 prize pool, with group stage matches taking place at MTK Sportpark and the playoffs held in the iconic MVM Dome in Budapest, Hungary.
Today marks the first day of Stage 1, highlighted by the matchup between Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) and NRG. Both teams are eager to start strong, as early victories in the group stage are crucial for securing a favorable path to the playoffs. Fans can expect a tense and unpredictable clash, with NiP looking to assert their dominance and NRG aiming to showcase their skill and disrupt their opponents’ plans.
Let’s dive into the action and see which team will make a statement on the opening day of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.
How The Bookies View It: NiP Slightly Favoured
According to the betting odds, Ninjas in Pyjamas enter the matchup as slight favourites, with a price of 1.34 compared to 3.2 for NRG. While NiP’s stronger track record gives them an edge on paper, NRG remains a dangerous opponent capable of upsetting expectations, making this clash a must-watch for fans and bettors alike.
NiP form. What result can be expected from NiP
In the first half of the 2023 season, NiP were remembered only for qualifying for the Paris Major 2023 after finishing 7th at European RMR B, as well as finishing in the top 8–11 at the Major itself. The team’s form slightly improved over the course of the season.
Although NiP lost in the Last Chance Qualifiers at Gamers8, they later performed well at BLAST Premier: Fall Groups 2023. They confidently advanced to the Fall Final, defeating such giants as Vitality.
NiP approached IEM Cologne 2023 in full combat readiness. There were no roster changes before the tournament, which clearly played in favor of the Swedish club.
In the first round of the Play-In at IEM Cologne 2023, Ninjas in Pyjamas faced Into The Breach. The match ended in an easy NiP win on Ancient with a score of 16-5.
In the match for a spot in the group stage of IEM Cologne 2023, NiP played against MOUZ. The "mice" outplayed the Swedes in class, allowing them to take only 19 rounds in two maps. The tournament ended for NiP in the top 16.
In the 2024 season, NiP drastically changed their roster, essentially carrying out a full rebuild of the team.
- NiP roster: r1nkle, ewjerkz, sjuush, xKacpersky, Snappi.
At PGL Major Copenhagen 2024: European RMR A, NiP performed poorly — top 16. Things slightly improved in the second half of the year: top 2 at YaLLa Compass 2024, top 4 at FiReLEAGUE Global Final 2023. Among TIR-S tournaments, the best performance was at BLAST Premier: Fall Groups, where NiP managed to beat C9 and FaZe, but stopped at the top 8 after losing to Astralis.
Later, NiP played at BLAST Premier: Fall Showdown 2024 but failed to repeat the success of the previous BLAST tournament, finishing only top 16. They later placed top 28 at ESL Pro League Season 20 and top 16 at CCT Season 2 European Series #13. They also participated in the Thunderpick World Championship 2024, where they finished top 12 — a result that can hardly be called successful.
In the 2025 season, NiP participated in a large number of various qualifying tournaments. Only one of them ended in victory — PGL Astana 2025: European Qualifiers. However, at PGL Astana 2025 itself, NiP managed to reach the playoffs by winning their group with a 3-2 score — this was the Swedish club’s best result in the past 5 months of the 2025 season.
Ninjas in Pyjamas performed quite well at C and B-tier tournaments. The team won Fragadelphia x LVL UP EXPO 2025, placed 3rd–4th at The Proving Grounds Season 1, and finished 2nd at CCT Season 3 European Series #3.
The team also performed successfully at StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025. In the upper bracket, NiP claimed victories over OG and parivision but were defeated by NAVI in the Upper Bracket Final. In the Lower Bracket Final, the team beat B8 and advanced to the Grand Final, where they lost to NAVI and finished 2nd in the tournament, earning $130,000.
Later in the year, NiP participated in PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, an A-Tier offline Counter-Strike 2 event. The team fought hard but fell 1:2 in the playoffs, finishing 15th–16th and earning $6,250.
NiP Map Pool
Over the past three months, NiP has shown a varied performance across different CS2 maps. Their strongest map is Train, with a 71.4% win rate, followed by Nuke at 61.5% when picked first and Ancient at 57.1%, highlighting their strength on maps that favor structured strategies and coordinated team play. Overpass and Dust2 have been more challenging, with win rates of 33.3% and 28.6% respectively, while Mirage, often banned first, has brought only 25% success. Inferno has been their weakest map recently, with 0% wins, indicating clear vulnerabilities on this popular competitive map. This map pool suggests that while NiP can dominate on strategic maps like Train and Nuke, they may face difficulties on more dynamic or commonly contested maps.
NRG form. What result can be expected from NRG
We continue our CS2 tips with analyzing NRG form.
In the first half of the 2025 season, NRG Esports were primarily remembered for their strong performances at B- and C-Tier tournaments in North America. The team confidently claimed first place at the ESL Challenger League Season 50: North America Cup #1, NA Revival Series #10, and Fragville 2025, demonstrating stability and promising potential. However, their results at S-Tier events, such as BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 and ESL Pro League Season 22, were less impressive, showing that the squad still had work to do on the international stage.
Despite these challenges, NRG maintained a solid domestic presence. In online B-Tier tournaments, they performed well, finishing first at ESL Challenger League Season 50: North America and second at the Ace North American Masters Fall 2025. In offline C-Tier competitions, the team secured victories at Frag Ultra Mega Jersey 2025 and CCT Season 3 North American Series #1, proving their ability to dominate regional events.
- NRG roster: nitr0, Jeorge, br0, XotiC, Sonic.
This lineup combined veteran leadership with new talent, giving the team both stability and fresh strategic perspectives. The absence of nitr0 in certain events was compensated by daps, who could step in to maintain tactical consistency.
In their first matches following the roster formation, NRG showcased strong synergy and effective coordination. At B- and C-Tier events, they consistently advanced to finals, often defeating competitive North American teams. Notably, the team won Fragville 2025 3:1 and dominated ESL Challenger League Season 50: North America with a clean 3:0 scoreline, highlighting their improved performance and growing confidence.
At S-Tier tournaments, NRG faced stiffer competition. In BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, they finished 25th–27th with a 0:2 result, and at ESL Pro League Season 22, they ended 23rd–24th. These outcomes reflected the gap in experience against top-tier international squads, emphasizing the need for continued growth and adaptation.
Throughout 2025, NRG also participated in other regional tournaments with varying results. They took first place at NA Revival Series #10 (2:1), CCT Season 3 North American Series #1 (2:0), and Frag Ultra Mega Jersey 2025 (3:2). In other events, the team occasionally placed 3rd–4th, such as at NA Revival Series #8 and Thunderpick World Championship 2025: North American Series #2, demonstrating solid, if not always dominant, consistency.
NRG’s 2025 season showed a clear trajectory: while the team was dominant in regional B- and C-Tier competitions, they still had to prove themselves on the international stage. The combination of experienced players like nitr0 and Jeorge with new talents like br0, XotiC, and Sonic set the foundation for further development. With continued improvement in strategy, teamwork, and S-Tier experience, NRG aims to become a consistent top contender not only in North America but also globally in CS2.
It is also worth noting that nitr0 is missing the tournament due to the birth of his child. The team will have to compete with a substitute in the form of their coach, daps, which will obviously have a negative impact on NRG.
NRG Map Pool
NRG’s map pool over the past three months demonstrates clear strengths and preferences. Mirage and Inferno stand out as their strongest maps, both with an impressive 87.5% win rate when picked first, showing the team’s confidence and comfort on these battlegrounds. Dust2 and Train also perform well, with win rates of 77.8% and 71.4% respectively, making them reliable choices in their map veto strategy. On the other hand, Nuke and Overpass are less dominant, with win rates of 55.6% and 50%, indicating areas where NRG may need improvement or may prefer to avoid in high-stakes matches. This map distribution reflects a balanced pool with clear go-to maps, while still leaving room for tactical flexibility.
Head-to-Head: NiP vs NRG
NiP and NRG have faced each other twice in CS2, with each team winning one match. Overall, NRG leads slightly in map score with 4–3. Their most recent encounter was on September 7, 2025, at Fragadelphia Fragville 2025, where NRG defeated NiP 3:1. Earlier, on April 27, 2025, during Fragadelphia x LVL UP EXPO, NiP won 2:1. The rivalry goes back further, with previous matches dating to the CS:GO era in 2018 and 2019.
Looking at the maps from the September 7 match: NiP took Nuke 13:9, but NRG dominated Mirage 13:4. Train was closely contested, ending 13:11 for NRG, who then closed the series on Dust II with a 13:5 win, showing strong performance on that map.
Predicted result of the match NiP – NRG at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025
In this BO1 matchup, NiP enters as slight favourites, relying on their strong map pool, particularly Train and Nuke, and their experience in high-pressure matches. NRG remains a dangerous opponent, but it is also worth noting that nitr0 is missing the tournament due to the birth of his child. The team will have to compete with a substitute in the form of their coach, daps, which will obviously have a negative impact on NRG’s coordination and strategy. Despite this, NRG’s strengths on Mirage, Inferno, and Dust2 make them capable of causing an upset. In a single-map format, the game could be very close, but NiP’s structured approach and stability give them a slight edge, making a 1:0 win for NiP the most likely outcome.
Prediction: Ninjas in Pyjamas win.
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