Majors represent the highest tier of competition in Counter-Strike. Securing a Major championship guarantees a roster a permanent place in the history of the game. These tournaments serve as the definitive measure of a team’s success under maximum pressure. At Pley.gg, we use Major results to track the evolution of the game, from the early control of Swedish teams to the highly structured tactical play of Astralis, up to the current mechanically focused era of CS2. This record outlines every team that has secured the most prestigious trophy in esports.
If you want to read all about the upcoming Major in Cologne, you should visit our tournament hub for the event.
Complete history of CS Major winners
The definitive record of every organization that has won a Counter-Strike Major championship.
| Year | Event | Winner | Runner-up |
| 2013 | DreamHack Winter |  Fnatic |  NiP |
| 2014 | EMS One Katowice |  Virtus.pro | NiP |
| 2014 | ESL One Cologne | NiP | Fnatic |
| 2014 | DreamHack Winter |  LDLC | NiP |
| 2015 | ESL One Katowice | Fnatic | NiP |
| 2015 | ESL One Cologne | Fnatic |  EnVyUs |
| 2015 | DreamHack Cluj-Napoca | EnVyUs |  NaVi |
| 2016 | MLG Columbus |  Luminosity | NaVi |
| 2016 | ESL One Cologne |  SK Gaming |  Team Liquid |
| 2017 | ELEAGUE Atlanta |  Astralis | Virtus.pro |
| 2017 | PGL Kraków |  Gambit |  Immortals |
| 2018 | ELEAGUE Boston |  Cloud9 |  FaZe |
| 2018 | FACEIT London | Astralis | NaVi |
| 2019 | IEM Katowice | Astralis |  ENCE |
| 2019 | StarLadder Berlin | Astralis |  AVANGAR |
| 2021 | PGL Stockholm | NaVi |  G2 |
| 2022 | PGL Antwerp | FaZe | NaVi |
| 2022 | IEM Rio |  Outsiders |  Heroic |
| 2023 | BLAST.tv Paris |  Vitality |  GamerLegion |
| 2024 | PGL Copenhagen | NaVi | FaZe |
| 2024 | PW Shanghai |  Team Spirit | FaZe |
| 2025 | BLAST.tv Austin | Vitality |  The MongolZ |
| 2025 | StarLadder Budapest | Vitality | FaZe |
The early Swedish and French dominance
In the early years of CS:GO, Swedish teams controlled the highest level of play. Ninjas in Pyjamas reached five consecutive Major finals, though they secured only one victory. Fnatic capitalized on this era, winning three Majors between 2013 and 2015. Their roster set the standard for aggressive and read-based gameplay. French rosters provided the primary opposition during this period, with Team LDLC and Team EnVyUs claiming one Major title each, keeping the championship trophies exclusively in Europe.
Brazilian success and the North American victory
The competitive hierarchy shifted in 2016. Luminosity Gaming and SK Gaming demonstrated that high-level discipline and tactical structure were not exclusive to the European continent.
Led by Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo and Marcelo “coldzera” David, the Brazilian core secured consecutive Majors at Columbus and Cologne. This period broke the European hold on the game and expanded the global reach of competitive Counter-Strike. Later, at the ELEAGUE Major in Boston 2018, Cloud9 defeated FaZe Clan to secure the first and only Major championship for a North American roster.
The Astralis era
Between 2017 and 2019, Astralis established absolute control over competitive Counter-Strike. The Danish roster won four Majors in total, including three consecutive titles at London, Katowice, and Berlin. The core lineup of Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander, Andreas “Xyp9x” Højsleth, Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, and Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen redefined how the game was played. They utilized precise utility usage, optimal spacing, and structured team play to consistently eliminate their opponents’ tactical options.
Post-pandemic competition and the transition to CS2
Following the return to LAN events, Natus Vincere won PGL Major Stockholm 2021 without dropping a map, securing Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev his first Major title. In 2022, FaZe Clan took the trophy in Antwerp under the leadership of Finn “karrigan” Andersen.
The release of CS2 reset the competitive circuit. Natus Vincere claimed the first CS2 Major in Copenhagen in 2024 with a heavily system-focused approach. In contrast, Team Spirit won the Perfect World Shanghai Major later that year, driven heavily by the raw mechanical performance of 17-year-old Danil “donk” Kryshkovets.
Vitality claims consecutive titles in 2025
Team Vitality established themselves as the leading force in 2025. The roster secured consecutive Major championships at BLAST.tv Austin and StarLadder Budapest.
With Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut delivering consistent high-tier performances and Robin “ropz” Kool locking down late-round situations, Vitality achieved a level of tournament success unseen since the Astralis era, bringing the organization’s total Major count to three.
Frequently asked questions about Major winners
Who has the most CS Major titles?
Astralis holds the record with four Major Championships.
Which player has won the most Majors?
Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen leads with five titles. He won four with Astralis and one with Team Vitality.
Who won the first-ever CS2 Major?
Natus Vincere won the PGL Major Copenhagen in 2024.
Who is the youngest Major MVP?
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets was 17 years old when he won the MVP award at the Shanghai Major in 2024.
Organizations with the most Major titles
The following list outlines the esports organizations that have secured the most Counter-Strike Major championships.
- Astralis: 4
- Fnatic: 3
- Team Vitality: 3
- Natus Vincere: 2
- Virtus.pro / Outsiders: 2
- SK Gaming 1
- Luminosity: 1
- FaZe Clan: 1
- Team Spirit: 1
- Ninjas in Pyjamas: 1
- Cloud9: 1
- Gambit: 1
- Team EnVyUs: 1
- Team LDLC: 1
The professional circuit continues to evolve, and Pley.gg will track future Major results to see which organizations add to their trophy cabinets next.
