Confirmed: Valve expands Counter-Strike Majors to 32 teams
The Major format has received a significant update ahead of the 2025 season.
Valve has officially confirmed the expansion of the Counter-Strike Majors from 24 to 32 teams, a move first reported by HLTV last year. Alongside the increase in participating teams, Valve has unveiled significant changes to the qualification process, marking a new era for the competitive scene.
New format and extended schedule
The expanded format introduces an additional Swiss stage, adding approximately four days to the tournament schedule. This change aims to accommodate the larger pool of teams while ensuring a fair and competitive structure for all participants.
Goodbye RMR
Valve has retired the long-standing Regional Major Rankings (RMR) system, replacing it with Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs) as the new pathway to Major qualification.Notably, the MRQs can be held online, according to Valve's updated rulebook.
These qualifiers are divided across three regions:
Europe and Americas will each host 16 teams.
Asia will feature 8 teams.
The BLAST.tv Austin Major, scheduled for June 2025, will debut this new structure. Below is the slot distribution for each region based on Valve Regional Standings (VRS):
Europe:
1st-6th: Direct entry to Stage 3.
7th-10th: Entry to Stage 2.
11th-26th: Compete in the MRQ for six Stage 1 slots.
Americas:
1st: Direct entry to Stage 3.
2nd-5th: Entry to Stage 2.
6th-21st: Compete in the MRQ for six Stage 1 slots.
Asia:
1st: Direct entry to Stage 3.
2nd-9th: Compete in the MRQ for four Stage 1 slots.
You can check Valve's CS Major Supplemental Rulebook here.