StarLadder has announced it will host the second Counter-Strike 2 Major of 2025 in Budapest, Hungary. The prestigious tournament is scheduled to take place from November 24th to December 14th, 2025.
Venue Details
The initial stages of the Budapest Major will be held at the MTK Sportpark, which can accommodate up to 2,000 spectators. In a departure from traditional Major formats, StarLadder will allow spectators to attend matches across the first three stages of the competition.
For the playoff phase, the tournament will move to the larger MVM Dome, a 20,000-seat venue where the champion will ultimately be crowned.
Roma Romantsov, CEO of StarLadder, expressed enthusiasm about hosting the event, stating that it was an incredible honour and that the organisation is determined to make it an unforgettable experience. He added that Budapest provides the perfect setting to elevate the live CS2 event experience and invited all Counter-Strike fans to participate in this iconic moment.
Tournament History and Structure
This is not StarLadder’s first time hosting Counter-Strike’s most prestigious tournament. In 2019, the event organiser previously hosted the game’s 15th Major, which was won by Danish esports organisation Astralis.
The Budapest Major marks StarLadder’s first major event since being acquired by NODWIN Gaming for $5.5m in January.
Competition Format
Following the standard format of other Majors in the CS2 era, a total of 32 teams will compete in Budapest for the chance to perform on the biggest stage the esport has to offer.
Teams will also be competing for a share of a $1.25m prize pool, with the champion taking the largest portion.
Tickets for the Budapest Major are already available for purchase. The first three stages will run from November 24th to December 7th, with the Playoffs scheduled for December 11th to 14th.