Building upon the legacy of its predecessor, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) has carved a significant piece of the esports scene and fanbase since the update happened.
Even with esports titans such as DOTA 2, League Of Legends, Valorant, and Overwatch, CS2 still holds some of the most prestigious tournaments in esports that attract the best teams, offer significant prize pools, and are highly anticipated worldwide.
Let’s explore some of the most notable events, their history, winners, and upcoming dates for 2025.
1. Counter-Strike Major Championships
The Counter-Strike Major Championships, also known simply as “Majors,” are the most prestigious events in the CS2 calendar.
These tournaments are sponsored by the creators of CS, Valve, and have been a cornerstone of the Counter-Strike scene since its inception in 2013.
The format initially featured 16 teams, but from 2018 to 2024, it expanded to include 24 teams. Starting in 2025, Majors will host 32 teams.
- Recent Winners: Team Spirit is the latest major winner, winning its first title at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. Australia has the highest number of major wins, with four titles so far.
- Prize Pool: Due to all the sponsors surrounding the event, the prize pool for Majors has recently reached as high as $1,250,000.
- Next Major: As of writing this article, the date is yet to be announced for the next Major come 2025, but the fans are sure it will be one of the various high points of this year.
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2. IEM Katowice
Even though second on the list, IEM Katowice is one of the most iconic events in the CS2 calendar, known for its electric atmosphere and highly competitive matches.
- Recent Event: IEM Katowice 2025 will go down from 1st February to 9th February in Katowice, Poland, with a $1,000,000 prize pool and will see 24 teams in attendance.
- Past Winners: Past winners have been teams like FaZe Clan and G2 Esports.
- Notable players are often the likes of Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev and Nikola “NiKo” Kovac.
3. PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025
The biggest esports event in Eastern Europe, PGL Cluj-Napoca, is another major event in the CS2 scene, as it also was during CS: GO, with an impressive prize pool.
- Details: The 2025 edition will be held from February 14 to February 23 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It will feature 16 teams and a prize pool of $1,250,000.
- Past Winners: Winners often include top-tier teams like Natus Vincere and Team Liquid.
- Prominent players might include Marcelo “Coldzera” David and Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo.
4. ESL Pro League
Even though associated with numerous esports games, ESL Pro League is the year-round premier tournament series which also includes Counter Strike 2. Therein, several teams take part and fight with one another in a league format.
- Details: The ESL Pro League Season 21 will take place from 7 to 16 March in Stockholm, Sweden. It will feature 32 teams and a prize pool of $400,000.
- Past Winners: Past winners include the likes of FaZe Clan and Cloud9, while some noticeable players are Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken and Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski.
5. PGL Astana 2025
Moving further east, The PGL Astana will be one of the bigger talking points of the CS2 calendar in 2025.
- Details: Lasting from May 10 to May 18 in Astana, Kazakhstan, it comes with a prize pool of $1,250,000 and will feature 16 of the best teams in the world.
- Format: Swiss-format group stage followed by single-elimination playoffs.
6. Skyesports Masters 2025
With a huge esports market such as Asia, Skyesports Masters is the crown jewel of the South Asia region, where top teams from around the world meet.
- Details: The 2025 edition will take place in India from May 26th to June 1st. It will have a $500,000 prize pool and eight teams participating.
- Format: The competition will have a single-elimination playoff format with all matches being best-of-three, culminating in a best-of-five grand final.
For a game with such a rich and long-spaning legacy as Counter-Strike, it has been expected that a number of prestigious tournaments will spring up and attract the best teams and players from around the globe.
These events are on the leading edge of competitive CS2 with fat prize pools and thrilling matches to watch and bet on.
Looking back, it would sound totally crazy if you told a person in the 90s that millions of dollars could be won on events that are the size of other major sports, and as the year progresses, many other exciting competitions will be molding and defining what CS2 esports is today.
