Disclaimer: The rosters listed in our rankings are accurate as of January 12, 2026. Player transfers at all levels of Counter-Strike 2 are expected throughout the year.

As Counter-Strike 2 heads into 2026, the scene is already firing on all cylinders. With elite rosters set, top-tier events looming, and familiar powerhouses looking to assert control, now is the right time to share our thoughts on the top teams as the new season gets underway.

Let’s pop a flash and strafe into the discussion of the best CS2 teams at the start of 2026, using recent results to gauge which squads are best positioned to set the pace this season.

CS2 Team Rankings: Best Squads Of 2026

Although selecting the best CS2 esports teams is never an exact science, we conducted diligent research to compile our top five picks.

Considering key factors using publicly available data and expert opinion, we’ll explain why each squad ranks where it does in our CS2 team rankings.

Team Vitality (#1)

Team Vitality enters 2026 as the undisputed team to beat, with a high likelihood that the “Team Vitality era” will continue on throughout at least the first half of 2026.

While the competition remains strong, their StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 triumph has made it increasingly hard to argue against the idea that the scene has entered a new phase—one defined by Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s squad and its sustained dominance.

Team Vitality closed out the 2025 season as a dominant force on the server, clinching back-to-back Major Championships. Even their so-called “slump” after winning the BLAST.tv Austin Major, which included finishing 2nd to 4th at a handful of LAN events, would be considered a triumph for most teams.

Check out the list of significant achievements in chronological order below.

• 1st – IEM Katowice 2025
• 1st – ESL Pro League Season 21
• 1st – BLAST Open Lisbon 2025
• 1st – IEM Melbourne 2025
• 1st – BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 1
• 1st – IEM Dallas 2025
• 1st – BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
• 3rd-4th – IEM Cologne 2025
• 3rd-4th – BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 2 Finals
• 4th – Esports World Cup 2025
• 2nd – BLAST Open London 2025 Finals
• 1st – ESL Pro League Season 22
• 2nd – IEM Chengdu 2025
• 3rd-4th – BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 2
• 1st – StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Along the way, Team Vitality had a 30-match win streak, which was ended in a best-of-one match against Legacy at Stage 3 of the Austin Major.

Team Vitality roster:

• Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
• Shahar “flameZ” Shushan
• William “mezii” Merriman
• Robin “ropz” Kool
• Dan “apEX” Madesclaire (IGL)
• Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam (Coach)

FURIA (#2)

At the helm of FURIA’s powerhouse roster is two-time Major Championship-winning Brazilian legend, Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo.

Stepping away from the star player role and into a leadership position, FalleN proved that he is one of the greatest of all time—even after laying down his AWP for a rifle.

The 34-year-old AWPer turned rifler was key to FURIA’s surge of success in significant events, starting with a win at FISSURE Playground 2, the organization’s first S-Tier LAN trophy. 

You’ll find a list of significant achievements in chronological order below.

• 4th – PGL Astana 2025
• 5th-8th – BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
• 5th-6th – IEM Cologne 2025
• 3rd-4th – BLAST Open London 2025 Finals
• 1st – FISSURE Playground 2
• 1st – Thunderpick World Championship 2025
• 1st – IEM Chengdu 2025
• 1st – BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 2
• 5th-8th – StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

With fantastic momentum in the back half of 2025, FURIA topped the global leaderboards and became the favorites to win StarLadder Budapest Major. The squad couldn’t finish the year with a Major Championship win, but did make the Playoffs, a respectable result.

In 2026, FURIA could propel themselves to more top-tier trophies. The squad made no roster changes during the offseason, which instills confidence.

FURIA roster:

• Yuri “yuurih” Boian
• Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato
• Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis
• Danil “molodoy” Golubenko
• Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo (IGL)
• Sidnei “sidde” Macedo (Coach)

Team Spirit (#3)

Team Spirit could start 2026 with some podium finishes. After all, they kicked off the previous season in dominating fashion, winning the first big LAN event and placing 2nd at IEM Katowice 2025.

At the tip of their mighty spear is superstar rifler, Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, and deadly AWPer Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov. With four trophies lifted in 2025 and multiple podium finishes, Team Spirit is a shoo-in for a top-five pick.

They are one of the best CS2 teams at the start of 2026, especially with recent roster changes inspiring renewed confidence.

Check out the squad’s list of significant achievements in chronological order below.

• 1st – BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 1 Finals
• 2nd – IEM Katowice 2025
• 3rd-4th – ESL Pro League Season 21
• 3rd-4th – BLAST Open Lisbon 2025
• 3rd-4th – BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 1
• 1st – PGL Astana 2025
• 5th-8th – BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
• 1st – IEM Cologne 2025
• 1st – BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 2 Finals
• 3rd-4th – StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Team Spirit’s victory at the Cathedral of Counter-Strike at IEM Cologne, one of the year’s most iconic and high-pressure events, cemented their 3rd-place spot on our list of the best CS2 teams.

Team Spirit roster:

• Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
• Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov
• Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia
• Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich
• Boris “magixx” Vorobyev (IGL)
• Sergey “hally” Shavayev (Coach)

Note: During the offseason, after the StarLadder Budapest Major, Team Spirit benched IGL Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov, and saw Ivan “zweih” Gogin move to PARIVISION. Early in 2026, the Team Spirit roster welcomed back Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia and Boris “magixx” Vorobyev.

The MongolZ (#4)

The Mongolian powerhouse squad, The MongolZ, easily topped the Asia region and remained consistently in the top five in the world rankings throughout 2025.

That said, we have high confidence that The MongolZ will remain one of the best CS2 teams at the start of 2026.

They set the biggest stages ablaze with their invigorating performances, culminating in a Major Championship Grand Final appearance and lifting the coveted Esports World Cup 2025 trophy in Riyadh. 

Check out the squad’s list of significant achievements in chronological order below.

• 3rd-4th – IEM Katowice 2025
• 3rd-4th – ESL Pro League Season 21
• 3rd-4th – IEM Melbourne 2025
• 3rd-4th – IEM Dallas 2025
• 2nd – BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
• 2nd – BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 2 Finals
• 1st – Esports World Cup 2025
• 2nd – FISSURE Playground 2
• 3rd – Thunderpick World Championship 2025
• 5th-8th – StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

The MongolZ made Counter-Strike esports history at the Austin Major, becoming the first team from Asia to compete in a Grand Final and the youngest team from any region to do so.

The MongolZ roster:

• Usukhbayar “910” Banzragch
• Sodbayar “Techno4K” Munkhbold
• Ayush “mzinho” Batbold
• Garidmagnai “bLitz” Byambasuren (IGL)
• Anarbileg “cobrazera” Uuganbayar
• Erdenedalai “maaRaa” Bayanbat (Coach)

Note: During the offseason, The MongolZ officially welcomed Anarbileg “cobrazera” Uuganbayar to kick off 2026 with a bang.  

MOUZ (#5)

With 23-year-old Swedish rifler Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin taking over the IGL responsibilities last year, we saw MOUZ reach the podium at several top-tier LAN events. And there are high hopes that they will replicate this success in 2026.

Boasting incredible consistency, MOUZ has remained a top-five team, clicking heads with the best in the business.

You’ll find a list of significant achievements in chronological order below.

• 1st – PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025
• 2nd – ESL Pro League Season 21
• 2nd – BLAST Open Lisbon 2025
• 3rd-4th – IEM Melbourne 2025
• 3rd-4th – BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 1
• 2nd – IEM Dallas 2025
• 3rd-4th – BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
• 2nd – IEM Cologne 2025
• 3rd-4th – BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 2 Finals
• 3rd-4th – BLAST Open London 2025 Finals
• 3rd – ESL Pro League Season 22
• 4th – IEM Chengdu 2025
• 5th-8th – StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

If it wasn’t for Team Vitality’s dominating performance in the first half of the year, MOUZ might have won four or five additional trophies. We believe there’s a good chance MOUZ could learn how to slay the final bosses and take home some trophies this year.

MOUZ roster:

• Ádám “torzsi” Torzsás
• Dorian “xertioN” Berman
• Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo
• Lotan “Spinx” Giladi
• Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin (IGL)
• Dennis “sycrone” Nielsen (Coach)

Note: During the offseason, MOUZ made no roster changes, which adds confidence that they’ll remain a top CS2 team in 2026.

CS2 Team Rankings Explained

To create our CS2 team rankings for 2026, we didn’t take a glance at the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) and call it a day. Instead, we performed thorough research, considering placements at top-tier events.

Digging deep for a holistic approach, we included multiple factors, such as roster changes and overall performances. Iconic, high-pressure LAN events such as IEM Cologne, IEM Katowice, and both Major Championships held the most weight. 

Honorable Mentions: Five More Top CS2 Teams

Despite Team Vitality’s dominance throughout 2025, we had one of the most competitive batches of top 20 teams in history. So many squads impressed that we wanted to honor five more top CS2 teams that could soar high in 2026.

Here are our five honorable mentions, in no particular order:

• Team Falcons
• NAVI
• G2 Esports
• Aurora Gaming
• 3DMAX

Team Falcons narrowly missed out on the #5 spot due to MOUZ’s incredible consistency, while NAVI could have entered the discussion if they had one more significant result in the year.

FAQs

Who Is The Best Team In CS2 in 2026?

Team Vitality is by far the best CS2 team at the start of the 2026 season, posting incredible results and winning both Major Championships in 2025, and making no roster changes in the offseason.

What Factors Determine The Best CS2 Teams?

Our list of the top five CS2 teams for 2026 was compiled through diligent research, considering performances in top-tier LAN events, consistency, and the number of trophies earned.

Which CS2 Team Has The Most Tournament Wins In 2025?

Team Vitality won a total of nine (9) top-tier trophies in 2025, including both Major Championships.

Who Won The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025?

Team Vitality won the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, beating FaZe Clan 3–1 in the Grand Final.

Which CS2 Team Will Dominate 2026?

There’s no reason to doubt the Team Vitality era will end abruptly in 2026. Other teams that could dominate are FURIA, Team Falcons, MOUZ, Team Spirit, FaZe Clan, and possibly The MongolZ.