CS Major Championships
CS Major Championships (commonly called Majors) are the most prestigious esports tournaments in Counter-Strike 2, directly sponsored by Valve Corporation. They are the pinnacle of competitive Counter-Strike.
Overview
Valve Majors are held twice per year (typically Spring and Fall) and feature the world's best teams competing for a minimum prize pool of $1.25 million. Majors are unique in the CS2 esports ecosystem because:
- Valve provides the prize pool and sets the format rules
- Teams earn revenue from in-game sticker sales
- They grant qualifying spots through the RMR (Regional Major Ranking) system
- They carry the highest prestige in the Counter-Strike community
Major History
CS:GO Era Majors
| # | Tournament | Date | Location | Winner | Runner-Up | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DreamHack Winter 2013 | Nov 2013 | Jonkoping, Sweden | Fnatic | Ninjas in Pyjamas | $250,000 |
| 2 | EMS One Katowice 2014 | Mar 2014 | Katowice, Poland | Virtus.pro | NiP | $250,000 |
| 3 | ESL One Cologne 2014 | Aug 2014 | Cologne, Germany | Fnatic | NiP | $250,000 |
| 4 | DreamHack Winter 2014 | Nov 2014 | Jonkoping, Sweden | LDLC | NiP | $250,000 |
| 5 | ESL One Katowice 2015 | Mar 2015 | Katowice, Poland | Fnatic | NiP | $250,000 |
| 6 | ESL One Cologne 2015 | Aug 2015 | Cologne, Germany | Fnatic | EnVyUs | $250,000 |
| 7 | DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015 | Nov 2015 | Cluj-Napoca, Romania | EnVyUs | Natus Vincere | $250,000 |
| 8 | MLG Columbus 2016 | Apr 2016 | Columbus, USA | Luminosity | Natus Vincere | $1,000,000 |
| 9 | ESL One Cologne 2016 | Jul 2016 | Cologne, Germany | SK Gaming | Team Liquid | $1,000,000 |
| 10 | ELEAGUE Major 2017 | Jan 2017 | Atlanta, USA | Astralis | Virtus.pro | $1,000,000 |
| 11 | PGL Major Krakow 2017 | Jul 2017 | Krakow, Poland | Gambit | Immortals | $1,000,000 |
| 12 | ELEAGUE Major 2018 | Jan 2018 | Boston, USA | Cloud9 | FaZe Clan | $1,000,000 |
| 13 | FACEIT Major London 2018 | Sep 2018 | London, UK | Astralis | Natus Vincere | $1,000,000 |
| 14 | IEM Katowice 2019 | Mar 2019 | Katowice, Poland | Astralis | ENCE | $1,000,000 |
| 15 | StarLadder Berlin Major 2019 | Sep 2019 | Berlin, Germany | Astralis | Avangar | $1,000,000 |
| 16 | PGL Major Stockholm 2021 | Nov 2021 | Stockholm, Sweden | Natus Vincere | G2 Esports | $2,000,000 |
| 17 | PGL Major Antwerp 2022 | May 2022 | Antwerp, Belgium | FaZe Clan | Natus Vincere | $1,000,000 |
| 18 | IEM Rio Major 2022 | Nov 2022 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Outsiders | Heroic | $1,250,000 |
CS2 Era Majors
| # | Tournament | Date | Location | Winner | Runner-Up | Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 | Mar 2024 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Natus Vincere | FaZe Clan | $1,250,000 |
| 20 | Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 | Dec 2024 | Shanghai, China | Team Spirit | FaZe Clan | $1,250,000 |
Major Format
Qualification (RMR)
- Regional Major Rankings (RMR) events determine which teams qualify
- Three regions: Europe, Americas, Asia-Pacific
- Teams compete in closed qualifiers based on ranking points
Stages
- Opening Stage — 16 lower-seeded teams compete in Swiss format
- Elimination Stage — 8 teams from Opening join 8 Legends in Swiss format
- Playoffs — Top 8 teams in single-elimination bracket
Map Pool
Majors use the current Active Duty competitive map pool.
Most Major Wins by Organization
| Organization | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Astralis | 4 | 2017, 2018 (x2), 2019 |
| Fnatic | 3 | 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| Natus Vincere | 2 | 2021, 2024 |
| SK/Luminosity | 2 | 2016 (x2) |
Sticker Revenue
A significant aspect of Majors is the sticker system:
- Valve releases team and player autograph stickers for each Major
- Revenue is split: 50% Valve, 50% teams/players/organizer
- Top teams can earn millions from sticker sales alone
- Katowice 2014 stickers are the most valuable collectibles in CS history
See Also
- CS2 Esports — Broader esports scene overview
- Notable Teams — Team profiles and history
- Stickers — Tournament sticker details
- Counter-Strike History — Full franchise timeline