The MongolZ have officially made history by securing the top spot in the HLTV World Rankings, marking the first time a Mongolian team has ever achieved the number one position. After years of consistent growth and steady results, the roster has now overtaken Vitality to become the best Counter-Strike team in the world.
A Historic Rise Through 2025
The MongolZ’s journey to the top of the rankings has been anything but overnight. They established themselves as a consistent top-10 contender throughout 2025, with crucial results that showcased their ability to compete against the world’s elite:
- IEM Melbourne and IEM Dallas: Semi-final finishes proved their resilience and consistency at Big Events.
- PGL Astana: A 5-8th place finish solidified their presence among top teams.
- BLAST.tv Austin Major: A breakthrough run to the finals signaled their arrival as serious title challengers.
The second half of the year pushed them even further. They captured their first Big Event trophy at the Esports World Cup, placed 5-6th at IEM Cologne, and added two more silver medals at the BLAST Bounty Season 2 Finals and FISSURE Playground 2. These results gave them the necessary points to finally leapfrog Vitality in the live VRS rankings by mid-September.
Vitality’s Dominance Slows
For much of the year, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s Vitality looked untouchable. They racked up seven consecutive titles and built a nearly unthinkable 37-series winstreak in the first half of 2025. That run, however, came to an end after the summer break. While Vitality remained consistent with multiple top-four finishes, they failed to capture more silverware.
This dip in form directly impacted the HLTV points system. Vitality lost 30 points in the form subranking, dropping from 910 to 880 points as older results expired, opening the door for The MongolZ to claim the No. 1 position with 896 points.
HLTV Top 10 Rankings – September 29, 2025
| Rank | Team | Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The MongolZ | 896 | +1 |
| 2 | Vitality | 880 | -1 |
| 3 | MOUZ | 600 | +1 |
| 4 | Spirit | 577 | -1 |
| 5 | FURIA | 500 | – |
| 6 | G2 | 432 | – |
| 7 | Falcons | 401 | – |
| 8 | Aurora | 389 | – |
| 9 | Natus Vincere | 283 | – |
| 10 | paiN | 225 | – |
Key Factors Behind The MongolZ’s Success
Several elements contributed to The MongolZ’s unprecedented rise:
- Consistency across Big Events: Their ability to reach playoffs in nearly every tournament provided constant ranking points.
- Breakthrough victories: Winning the Esports World Cup gave them a landmark title that boosted their credibility and ranking.
- Strong adaptability: Their playstyle has evolved throughout 2025, allowing them to contest top European and international sides.
- Vitality’s decline in form: The timing of Vitality’s stagnation coincided perfectly with The MongolZ’s peak performances.
How far can they go at the Major?
Despite their number 1 placement on both Valve and HLTV’s World Rankings, The MongolZ will probably still not be considered favorites for the upcoming Major in Hungary in December. With only one big title under their belt (Esports World Cup 2025), it’s hard to put them in the same category as the last two Major winners in Vitality and Spirit. Both teams has a better track record in Grand Finals than The Mongolz, who in return has showed increcible consistency during the year. But perhaps this is the time for the Mongolians?
