StarLadder Budapest Major Stage 2 Teams

Following an initial phase overflowing with unanticipated outcomes, the squads advancing to Phase 2 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 have been confirmed. 

Amongst some of Counter-Strike’s well-known competitors, several unexpected challengers progressed from Phase 1 while some usual contenders were defeated early on.

Prior to the commencement of the second phase of Counter-Strike’s season-culminating competition, Esports Insider examines the next group of teams engaged in battle in the Hungarian capital.

Phase 2 of the Budapest Major employs the same Swiss system format as the initial phase, with 16 teams fighting to secure three victories across five rounds. 

A sum of 10 teams from Europe are present in Phase 2, featuring several previous Major victors. Three teams from the Americas aspire to progress along with two from Asia, who understand how to cause an upset.

Teams that achieve three wins secure a position in Phase 3, while those who fail to do so are removed from the competition.

Presently rated fifth in the Valve Regional Rankings (VRR), the Turkish lineup of Aurora Gaming enters the Major after demonstrating impressive form. Triumph at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 constituted the team’s first significant LAN triumph, laying the foundation for a potentially successful conclusion to 2025.

Aurora Gaming initiates Phase 2 against an M80 team that has performed effectively thus far.

Positioned one place behind Aurora Gaming in the overall standings is NAVI, another team that has presented occasional signs of promise in prominent competitions. In September, the Ukrainian organisation effortlessly overcame Ninjas in Pyjamas to secure victory at StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2025, initiating an improvement in performance.

Despite succumbing to a comeback loss at the hands of FURIA at the Thunderpick World Championship 2025, NAVI is among the European teams anticipated to progress. The team confronts FlyQuest in its initial Phase 2 match.

2025 has proven a volatile year for Team Liquid, leading to the departure of Russel ‘Twistzz’ Van Dulken and the reinstatement of Jonathan ‘ELiGE’ Jablonowski. A top-four result at FISSURE Playground 2 and a top-eight result at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 saw a lineup replete with expertise exhibit indications of resurgence.

Following an exit from the Austin Major with a top 16 placing, Budapest serves as an opportunity for an inconsistent Team Liquid to conclude the year positively, building some initial impetus for 2026.

Team Liquid commences its Phase 2 journey against B8. The Ukrainian team qualified for the second phase with a 3-1 record, securing victories over Parivision and Legacy.

3DMAX aims to restore French Counter-Strike’s aspirations with a compelling performance in Budapest. A top-16 placing at IEM Chengdu 2025 represents the organisation’s most recent Tier 1 involvement, with a loss to Lynn Vision Gaming in the Group Stage.

Second position at the CS Asia Championship 2025 illustrated the extensive experience held by the all-French lineup. Should 3DMAX intend to advance beyond Phase 2, this experience will be relied upon once more as it faces Fnatic in round one.

For the first occasion in three years, Astralis returns to the Major stage after successfully establishing itself as a team equipped with the potential to exert an influence in Phase 2. Having successfully navigated its way through the IEM Chengdu group stage, the Danish team even managed to claim a map against Team Vitality before achieving a top-six placing.

Two second positions at PGL Astana 2025 and FISSURE Playground 1 remain the highlights of Astralis’ season. With encouraging displays against prominent contenders, Astralis possesses the resources required to achieve a significant run.

Astralis confronts Ninjas in Pyjamas in its initial match, with both teams aiming to regain former prominence.

2025 has represented a year of growth for Chinese Counter-Strike on the global stage. Headed by TYLOO, the team surged up the VRR, attaining a high of ninth in August.

TYLOO achieved success at FISSURE Playground 1, triumphing in the competition with coach Zhong ‘zhokiNg’ Weijie acting as a temporary stand-in for AWPer Ji ‘Jee’ Dongkai. Since achieving victory in July, the Chinese team has struggled to find stability in top-level tournaments.

Failure to progress to the Chengdu playoffs, alongside missing out on an arena appearance at BLAST Rivals Fall 2025, TYLOO enters the Major aiming to rediscover the form that initially captured the attention of Counter-Strike enthusiasts globally.

TYLOO competes against Parivision in round one of Phase 2.

In an effort to achieve success, MIBR has transitioned away from an all-Brazilian lineup in favour of a global team. In August and September, the organisation recruited Klimentiy ‘kl1m’ Krivosheev and Aleksei ‘Qikert’ Golubev on loan arrangements with the objective of building upon a top 20 placing at the Austin Major.

The roster adjustments quickly produced success in regional competitions, with victory at FERJEE Rush 2025 and Circuit X South America Season 1 solidifying the team as one of the Americas’ most promising contenders.

Within global competition, MIBR has yet to discover consistent form and travels to Budapest following a top 16 placing at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025. The Major has previously witnessed the likes of RED Canids and Fluxo produce unexpected outcomes, and MIBR is certainly capable of surprising its opposition.

The Brazilian organisation challenges a familiar adversary in the form of Imperial Esports in Phase 2’s first round.

Following the disbandment of Complexity’s Counter-Strike division, Ukrainian organisation Passion UA intervened and acquired the core, providing it with a stable platform within the VRR system.

While the team has seen limited Tier 1 appearances in 2025, Passion UA has found triumph in Tier 2 and Tier 3 competitions, securing victory at Urban Riga Open #1 and achieving a third-place placing at DraculaN #3.

Following a top 20 placing at the Perfect World Shanghai Major in late 2024, it will be interesting to observe whether the new lineup can achieve an improved result against some difficult opposition.

Passion UA confronts a demanding challenge in Phase 2, as it takes on a FaZe Clan team that narrowly avoided elimination in Phase 1.

FlyQuest entered the Major discreetly as Australia’s solitary representative at the event. While it has demonstrated encouraging signs in regional competitions, the team has struggled to replicate its form on the international stage.

The team successfully produced a significant surprise in the initial phase, winning all three of its matches to earn a position in Phase 2.

FlyQuest possesses the quality required to prolong its successful Major journey, despite the calibre of teams raising their performance. Advancing from Phase 2 is a challenging objective, but the potential exists for it to maintain its impetus if it can overcome NAVI in the first round.

North American Counter-Strike frequently struggles to exert a significant impact within the Tier 1 scene, but M80 aims to rectify this with a continuation of its faultless Phase 1 performance.

Victories over B8, Imperial Esports, and Fluxo cemented its position in Phase 2. M80 is familiar with the second phase of a Major, having commenced the Austin Major in a position to reach Phase 3. The preceding Major witnessed M80 secure a single victory over OG Esports and suffer three defeats, ending its participation.

Phase 2 in Budapest enables M80 to capitalise on its Phase 1 impetus and secure its status as North America’s leading Counter-Strike team. It commences its Phase 2 journey against Aurora Gaming in the opening round.

For the first time in two years, Ninjas in Pyjamas has returned to a Counter-Strike Major. Despite initiating Phase 1 with a defeat to NRG, the team responded emphatically, with three successive wins over Lynn Vision Gaming, FaZe Clan, and Fluxo to secure a position in Phase 2.

While its recent form has indicated that it can contend against Europe’s premier teams, a top-16 placing at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 reveals that further progress is required for the Ninjas to be regarded as a leading team once more.

Ninjas in Pyjamas commences Phase 2 with a Scandinavian clash against Astralis.

B8 is among several teams that operated somewhat unnoticed during Phase 1 in Budapest. Convincing displays against The Huns Esports, Parivision, and Legacy earned the team a position in the subsequent phase, alongside an opportunity to improve upon its Austin Major performance.

The preceding Major saw the Ukrainians narrowly miss out on Phase 3 despite defeating Team Falcons and HEROIC.

B8 has an opportunity to initiate Phase 2 positively against a Team Liquid that is yet to perform optimally.

Fnatic is continuing its progression back towards the pinnacle of Counter-Strike esports. The Fragadelphia Blocktober champions opted for a late roster alteration prior to the competition, and thus far, it has proven advantageous.

Fnatic progressed from Phase 1 courtesy of victories over RED Canids, Imperial Esports, and NRG, demonstrating its superiority over a trio of North and South American teams. 

Occasions have arisen where Fnatic’s team coordination has proven particularly effective. A contest against 3DMAX in round one of Phase 2 could prove to be a highly competitive match.

Against expectations, FaZe Clan took the longest route out of Phase 1, winning its three remaining games and recovering from the verge of elimination on several occasions.

Having overcome RED Canids and Fluxo by the narrowest of margins, it’s apparent that the team has yet to reach its peak performance. If the team struggles in the initial rounds for a second time, it remains uncertain whether the Red Militia will persevere as more formidable teams enter the fray.

With the Swiss stage now restarted, FaZe Clan confronts Passion UA in round one.

Similar to FaZe Clan, the Brazilian team of Imperial Esports also required all five rounds to secure its position in Phase 2 in the Hungarian capital.

Losses to FlyQuest and Fnatic placed the team at a disadvantage, but 2-0 victories against The Huns Esports and NRG concluded an initial phase featuring some exceptional defensive performances.

The route to Phase 3 commences with an all-Brazilian encounter against MIBR. The two teams met at FERJEE Rush in September, with MIBR emerging victorious in a fiercely contested Grand Final.

The 16th and concluding team competing in Phase 2 of the Budapest is Parivision, which displayed incredible composure to overcome Legacy in its fifth-round tie.

Entering the Major fresh from victory in ESL Challenger League, the Serbian organisation demonstrated resilience against the Brazilians in a gripping double overtime Dust II decider to secure its position in the subsequent phase. 

Dzhami ‘Jame’ Ali has found synergy alongside the four Major rookies, who continue to accumulate valuable experience that will prove crucial as the competition advances. The team initiates Phase 2 against FISSURE Playground 1 champions TYLOO.