Disclaimer: The rosters listed in our rankings are accurate as of December 16, 2025. Player transfers at all levels of Counter-Strike 2 are expected heading into 2026.

In 2025, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) delivered a season to remember. Thousands of heads clicked, over a dozen S-Tier LAN event trophies were lifted, and two Major Championships crowned the very best. At the heart of it all were the best CS2 squads, defining the year with world-class plays.

Let’s pop a flash and strafe into the discussion of the best CS2 teams of 2025, celebrating their achievements.

CS2 Team Rankings: Best Squads Of 2025

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 is the undisputed best CS2 team of 2025.

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.

They didn’t just become the first back-to-back Major Championship winners in CS2. Throughout the year, Team Vitality was a dominant force on the server. Their “slump” after winning the BLAST.tv Austin Major, placing 2nd to 4th in a few LAN events, would be considered a triumph for most other 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)

Note: Team Vitality made only one roster change in 2025, adding Estonian superstar rifler ropz on January 10. It was the final piece of the puzzle. Mr. Kool fit in perfectly, resulting in an unstoppable run of seven top-tier trophies in a row.

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

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

FURIA roster:

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

Note: In April, FURIA picked up young AWPing prodigy, Danil “molodoy” Golubenko, and added more rifling firepower in the form of Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis.

Team Spirit (#3)

Team Spirit kicked off 2025 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. 

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

Their win 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 of 2025.

Team Spirit roster:

• Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
• Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov
• Ivan “zweih” Gogin
• Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich
• Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov (IGL)
• Sergey “hally” Shavayev (Coach)

Note: Team Spirit made two roster changes, replacing Boris “magixx” Vorobyev with zweih on July 7, and Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia with tN1R on September 8.

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 the year.

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)
• Erdenedalai “maaRaa” Bayanbat (Coach)

Note: On October 22, The MongolZ benched star rifler Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold in a decision that shocked the CS2 esports scene. Currently, the official roster is down to four, since Unudelger “controlez” Baasanjargal was functioning as a stand-in for the StarLadder Budapest Major.  

MOUZ (#5)

With 23-year-old Swedish rifler Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin taking over the IGL responsibilities in 2025, we saw MOUZ reach the podium at several top-tier LAN events this year. Boasting incredible consistency, MOUZ has remained a top-five team all the way through 2025, 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. After all, the squad managed to take down nearly any opponent—they just couldn’t get past the final boss.

MOUZ roster:

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

Note: The only roster change from MOUZ came at the start of the year, as Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek was benched and replaced by ex-Team Vitality player Spinx on January 23.

CS2 Team Rankings Explained

To create our CS2 team rankings for 2025, 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 throughout the year.

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 the year, 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.

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 2025?

Team Vitality is by far the best CS2 team of 2025, posting incredible results and winning both Major Championships.

What Factors Determine The Best CS2 Teams?

Our list of the top five CS2 teams for 2025 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 as we enter 2026. Other teams that could dominate are FURIA, Team Falcons, MOUZ, Team Spirit, FaZe Clan, and possibly The MongolZ.