StarLadder Budapest Major power rankings

Heading into the StarLadder Budapest Major, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly who the true favorites are. That’s why we’ve put together a power ranking based on team performances throughout the latter half of 2025.

Before diving in, it’s worth noting that while we’ve followed nearly every major event this season, these rankings are grounded in observation and recent form, not hype. Consider it a snapshot of who’s looking strongest heading towards Budapest.

Last updated: 17th of November after BLAST Rivals Hong Kong

Power rankings

10. Astralis

Roster: Magisk, HooXi, Staehr, device & jabbi

Astralis have had a rollercoaster of a season. Switching in-game leaders from cadiaN to HooXi and losing stavn to personal issues forced the team to bring in Magisk mid-season, which didn’t make things easier.

Even so, Astralis have put up some respectable results, reaching playoffs at FISSURE Playground 1 and 2, BLAST Bounty, and IEM Chengdu. If coach ruggah hadn’t been forced to stand in for device at PGL Masters Bucharest, they likely would’ve made playoffs there too.

Player	With Cadian	With Hooxi
device	1.06	1.07
Magisk	N/A	0.99
Hooxi	N/A	0.92
jabbi	1.05	1.06
Staehr	1.07	1.06

They’re consistent at reaching playoffs but rarely make it past quarterfinals. If HooXi can figure out how to get device firing again, this team could easily climb higher.

9. Legacy

Roster: dumau, latto, n1ssim, lux & saadzin

Legacy are hot right now. Back-to-back finals appearances at PGL Masters Bucharest and CS Asia Championships show they’ve found their stride. They play a chaotic, throwback Brazilian style reminiscent of early FURIA with dumau and latto leading the charge.

The problem is depth. When their aggressive style doesn’t land, they struggle to find alternatives. If dumau or latto cool off, Legacy could crash just as fast as they rose. Still, starting in Stage 1 of the Major might let them build momentum against some weaker teams.

8. Aurora

Roster: XANTARES, Wicadia, woxic, jottAAA & MAJ3R

Aurora’s got absurd firepower. XANTARES and Wicadia can shred any team when they’re on form, and woxic can still be a difference-maker on the AWP. The problem? MAJ3R’s calling feels outdated, and their playbook is far too predictable.

Their current style is often “XANTARES and Wicadia go kill,” and that’ll only get you so far. If they ever swapped leadership or some on the team took over the calling, they could bring in someone like xfl0ud.

7. The MongolZ

Roster: 910, bLitz, Techno, mzinho & controlez

The MongolZ would sit higher on this list if Senzu were still part of the lineup. Controlez is a decent replacement, but losing your star player so close to the Major is a setback no team can fully prepare for.

Their run at IEM Chengdu showed real promise. They took wins over Heroic, paiN, and Spirit before eventually losing to FURIA. That performance suggested they still had the tools to fight for playoffs, but Senzu’s departure lowers their long-term ceiling. As we’ve seen so often new additions bring a short burst of energy, yet once that initial excitement fades, the real test begins.

That early boost already seems to have worn off. At BLAST Rivals, The MongolZ fell to Passion UA and then to Spirit in the rematch. Without Senzu, The MongolZ are in a difficult place, and until they rebuild identity and firepower, they will struggle to push higher in the rankings.

6. G2

Roster: huNter-, malbsMd, SunPayus, HeavyGod & MATYS

After their fairytale run at BLAST Open London, G2 have gone quiet, but don’t mistake that for inactivity. They’ve been grinding, and huNter- is proving to be a surprisingly capable IGL.

Player	Pre IGL (3 months)	IGL
huNter-	1.06	1.00

That said, the AWP position feels shaky, and malbsMd hasn’t looked himself lately. With sAw coaching and a good bootcamp ahead, they could peak at the right time. But teams entering Stage 3 cold often struggle, and that’s the concern here.

5. Team Spirit

Roster: donk, chopper, tN1R, zweih & sh1ro

Even with their terrible roster moves, Spirit still field donk and sh1ro, which alone keeps them inside the top five. The issue is that the replacements for zont1x and magixx have not fully settled, and zweih in particular has struggled to reach the level of what zont1x delivered.

Their playbook is not the deepest, yet their individual skill gives them a high floor. As long as donk maintains high form and sh1ro provides stability, Spirit can threaten almost any opponent. If I had the choice, I would revert zweih to zont1x simply because his consistency fits the team better.

Spirit remain in the same spot in these rankings mainly because of limited recent data. At IEM Chengdu they lost to a new version of The MongolZ and to Falcons, and at BLAST Rivals they fell to Vitality and Falcons again, two teams positioned above them here.

I considered dropping them further, since watching them often raises questions about their overall direction and whether they have a clear identity beyond “donk go kill.” But the teams directly below them have barely played since the previous update. Spirit did win the rematch with The MongolZ at BLAST – had they lost that, they would have been moved down.

Player	Before joining Spirit	After joining Spirit
tN1r	1.19	0.99
zweih	1.14	0.96

4. MOUZ -1

Roster: Brollan, torszi, Spinx, jimpphat & xertioN

MOUZ are one of the most stable teams in the scene, consistently reaching playoffs, consistently competitive, but rarely able to close out the biggest matches. They are missing that single superstar who can carry them over the finish line.

We saw the issue clearly at IEM Chengdu. They let a 12-4 lead slip away and lost the map, and eventually lost the series 2-1 against Vitality in the semi-finals. They also lost the third-place decider to Falcons, although that match does not hold much importance in my view.

Even so, their structure and team chemistry give them a natural advantage over rosters dealing with recent changes. If torszi elevates his level and starts delivering reliable superstar numbers, this lineup absolutely has the potential to contend for the Major.

Their fall to fourth place in these rankings is not due to a dramatic collapse. It comes from a comparison with Falcons, and while neither lineup enters the Major as a favorite, MOUZ lack a true hard-carry presence that Falcons have in m0NESY (and sometimes NiKo). Both teams struggle with similar issues, but MOUZ feel slightly more limited without that defining star who can take over a match at will.

3. Falcons +1

Roster: NiKo, TeSeS, m0NESY, kyxsan & kyousuke

Falcons have everything in place: star power, experience, and an in-game leader who can run a structured system. Yet they continue to come up short once the playoffs begin. They often look like the strongest team in the world during group stages, only to collapse when the matches truly matter – like at IEM Chengdu.

Even at BLAST Rivals in Hong Kong it felt clear that if NiKo had delivered an average performance instead of a 0.81 rating, the second lowest in the final, Falcons would likely have pushed the series to a fifth map. When you break down their games, NiKo stands out as the biggest issue. m0NESY can carry maps, TeSeS works hard in low-resource roles and still delivers, kyxsan has impact rounds, and kyousuke is a rookie who performs at a respectable level. The problem is that NiKo holds star positions and still plays like a liability.

On paper this roster should be fighting for every trophy. NiKo and m0NESY can break open any game, and zonic’s coaching gives the lineup structure and direction. But when high-pressure matches arrive, the team struggles to stay composed and the mental collapse undermines everything they build in the earlier stages.

Tournament	Result
BLAST Rivals Hong Kong	2nd
IEM Chengdu 2025	3rd
ESL Pro League Season 22	2nd
FISSURE Playground 2	3-4th
Esports World Cup 2025	3rd

2. Vitality -1

Roster: apEX, ropz, ZywOo, flameZ & mezii

In the last version of this power rankings FURIA had just beaten Vitality in the IEM Chengdu, but remained in 1st place. This has changed after FURIA beat both Vitality and Falcons to go back-to-back and also win BLAST Rivals.

This time however, they also lost to Falcons, and not just in groups, but in playoffs. And while the series was close, the bigger takeaway is that Vitality look out of sync. I’m not sure if it’s burnout or if they’ve just been figured out, but it seems the other top teams have figured them out.

The trio of ropz, flameZ and ZywOo have been decent as always, but in the latter half of 2025 mezii has disappointed quite heavily. After an amazing ESL Pro League ending with a 1.22 rating, the Brit fell quite far down to just a 0.94 in Chengdu. In the last three months he’s only just above average at a 1.03 rating.

1. FURIA +1

Roster: FalleN, yuurih, YEKINDAR, KSCERATO & molodoy