NAVI and FaZe start flawless

Iconic names from the world of Counter-Strike esports have returned to the forefront in the opening two rounds of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025’s second stage. 

Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) and NAVI have opened their Stage 2 campaigns with two victories, while Astralis and Team Liquid find themselves on the verge of elimination.

Having navigated its way through Stage 1, Ninjas in Pyjamas began with a 13-10 victory over Astralis, before defeating TYLOO with a 13-8 scoreline. 

The Swedish organisation’s appearance in the Hungarian capital marks the first time since 2023 that it has qualified for a Major. After starting Stage 2 with victories over experienced opposition, NiP is in a strong position to advance to the third stage. 

NAVI began its Major with a dominant 13-2 win over FlyQuest, laying the foundations for a second-round clash with Imperial Esports. After surviving a late comeback, the Ukrainian organisation scored a 13-10 win on Mirage to move within one round of Stage 3.

Having scraped through Stage 1 by the narrowest of margins, FaZe Clan looks to have turned a corner in Stage 2, opening with wins over Passion UA and Aurora Gaming.

In round 21 against Aurora Gaming, Jakub ‘jcobbb’ Pietruszewski scored a crucial one-versus-two clutch, turning the tide of the match in the Red Militia’s favour. After avoiding an early elimination, FaZe Clan may have found the magic required to make a deep run.

Elsewhere, B8 has established itself as an early frontrunner in Stage 2. An opening victory over Team Liquid, followed by a second against Fnatic, cemented its place as Stage 2’s dark horse. 

2025 marks the first time in three years that Astralis has competed at a Counter-Strike Major. The four-time Major champion already finds itself on the back foot, having lost to NiP and M80 in the opening two rounds. 

A 0-3 record in Stage 2 for Astralis is far from ideal. It faces off against FlyQuest in a best-of-three to decide which team remains in the stage and which one heads home. 

Despite showing signs of improvement in regional tournaments following the return of Jonathan ‘EliGE’ Jablonowski, Team Liquid finds itself on the verge of another early exit in Budapest after failing to score wins against B8 and Parivision. 

Team Liquid had its chances against B8, but the team was outclassed by Parivision, a team which continues to improve as the battle for Stage 3 places begins to heat up. 

Below is a list of all of the third-round matches taking place in Stage 2 of the Budapest Major:

The third round of Stage 2 takes place on November 30th, with the first teams looking to book their places in the next stage.