StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Playoffs preview

Leonardo Biazzi Published December 9, 2025

After 12 days of intense action spread across three Swiss groups, the StarLadder Budapest Major has finally reached the playoffs.

The eight teams left in the tournament will battle through a single-elimination bracket from December 11th to 14th, and the top two will play in the first best-of-five Major grand finals.

Here’s our preview for the StarLadder Budapest Major playoffs.

Falcons vs. Team Spirit – Match overview and prediction

M0NESY will have to pull all of his tricks to stop donk. Credit: Luc Bouchon | © BLAST

As much as Danil “donk” Kryshkovets has had a magnificent tournament so far, helping Team Spirit to breeze past Stage 3 with a clean 3-0 record, they’re not favorites against Falcons.

Yes, Falcons nearly were eliminated from Stage 3 as they lost twice, and Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov had to work double to ensure they beat G2 in the final game. However, they’ve been a much more solid team than Team Spirit, at least in this season.

Team Spirit have struggled since the additions of both Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich and Ivan “zweih” Gogin, whereas Falcons have finally stabilized things since Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin arrived.

Plus, Falcons have not lost to Team Spirit this season. They won two best-of-threes by 2-0, beating the Russians at IEM Chengdu and BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 2.

• Our pick: Falcons to win the series at 1.75 odds at Stake.

Odds subject to change.

Vitality vs. The MongolZ – Match overview and prediction

910 has carried The MongolZ at the Major, but he’ll have to face ZywOo right in the quarterfinals. Credit: © Team Vitality

Vitality and The MongolZ had similar campaigns at the StarLadder Budapest Major prior to the playoffs. They both lost their opening game and went on to win three in a row to secure playoffs.

This would be a pretty close matchup as they’ve won one tournament each this season, plus the fact that their head-to-head history is nearly tied, if it wasn’t for one thing. The current The MongolZ doesn’t have Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold, one of the best CS2 riflers in the world, as he mysteriously left the active lineup near the end of the season.

Unudelger “controlez” Baasanjargal is doing a decent job replacing Senzu, but truth be told, The MongolZ lack the firepower to face an international powerhouse like Vitality in a high-stakes match like this quarterfinals. The odds are that Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut and Robin “ropz” Kool will combine to fuel Vitality toward defending their Major title.

Our pick: Vitality to win the series at 1.26 odds at Stake.

Odds subject to change.

Also read: Aurora and Astralis among biggest disappointments of StarLadder Budapest Major

MOUZ vs. FaZe Clan – Match overview and prediction

MOUZ are generally good enough to reach the top four. Credit: © MOUZ

It’s almost a miracle that FaZe Clan made the StarLadder Budapest Major playoffs after their horrible start in Stage 1. Finn “karrigan” Andersen’s troops were nearly eliminated by RED Canids there, but they pulled through and breezed past Stage 2. Things got tricky in Stage 3 once again, but favorable matchups vs. 3DMAX and Passion UA saw FaZe make playoffs with a 3-2 record.

As for MOUZ, they joined the Major in Stage 3 and booked playoffs with a 3-1 record, which included a win vs. Falcons and a loss to Team Spirit. MOUZ have been a solid top-four/five team in the world across pretty much the entire year, while FaZe had plenty of ups and downs, which led to multiple roster changes.

We don’t see a world where FaZe Clan progress to the semifinals unless they pull some of their famous magic.

Our pick: MOUZ to win the series at 1.28 odds at Stake.

Odds subject to change.

FURIA vs. NAVI – Match overview and prediction

Molodoy might finish among the best five players in the world right in his rookie year. Credit: Luc Bouchon | © BLAST

We’re getting a rematch right in the quarterfinals. FURIA trounced NAVI in the opening round of Stage 3 with a 13-2 victory, and followed up with two other victories.

NAVI, on the other hand, qualified for StarLadder Budapest Major playoffs with a 3-2 record. Just like FaZe Clan, it feels that making the playoffs was all that NAVI could hope for, as they’ve been unable to fight top dogs all season.

Meanwhile, FURIA have risen to the No. 1 spot after winning FISSURE Playground 2, Thunderpick World Championship (versus NAVI, reverse sweeping them in a BO5), IEM Chengdu, and BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 2 in the months that led up to the Major. They’re the favorites to win the Major, considering their tactical depth and the form of stars such as Danil “molodoy” Golubenko and Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato.

Our pick: FURIA to win the series at 1.27 odds at Stake.

Odds subject to change.

Also read: Biggest overperformers of StarLadder Budapest Major group stage

Feature image credit: © ESL