| # | Event | Date | Winner | Runner-up | Score | MVP | Prize pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DreamHack Winter 2013 | Nov 2013 | Fnatic | Ninjas in Pyjamas | 2-1 | JW | $250,000 |
| 2 | EMS One Katowice 2014 | Mar 2014 | Virtus.pro | Ninjas in Pyjamas | 2-0 | TaZ | $250,000 |
| 3 | ESL One Cologne 2014 | Aug 2014 | Ninjas in Pyjamas | Fnatic | 2-1 | GeT_RiGhT | $250,000 |
| 4 | DreamHack Winter 2014 | Nov 2014 | LDLC | Ninjas in Pyjamas | 2-1 | Happy | $250,000 |
| 5 | ESL One Katowice 2015 | Mar 2015 | Fnatic | Ninjas in Pyjamas | 2-0 | olofmeister | $250,000 |
| 6 | ESL One Cologne 2015 | Aug 2015 | Fnatic | Team EnVyUs | 2-0 | olofmeister | $250,000 |
| 7 | DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015 | Oct 2015 | Team EnVyUs | Natus Vincere | 2-0 | kennyS | $250,000 |
| 8 | MLG Columbus 2016 | Apr 2016 | Luminosity | Natus Vincere | 2-0 | coldzera | $1,000,000 |
| 9 | ESL One Cologne 2016 | Jul 2016 | SK Gaming | Team Liquid | 2-0 | coldzera | $1,000,000 |
| 10 | ELEAGUE Atlanta 2017 | Jan 2017 | Astralis | Virtus.pro | 2-1 | kjaerbye | $1,000,000 |
| 11 | PGL Krakow 2017 | Jul 2017 | Gambit | Immortals | 2-1 | Hobbit | $1,000,000 |
| 12 | ELEAGUE Boston 2018 | Jan 2018 | Cloud9 | FaZe Clan | 2-1 | tarik | $1,000,000 |
| 13 | FACEIT London 2018 | Sep 2018 | Astralis | Natus Vincere | 2-0 | device | $1,000,000 |
| 14 | IEM Katowice 2019 | Mar 2019 | Astralis | ENCE | 2-0 | device | $1,000,000 |
| 15 | StarLadder Berlin 2019 | Sep 2019 | Astralis | AVANGAR | 2-0 | device | $1,000,000 |
| 16 | PGL Stockholm 2021 | Nov 2021 | Natus Vincere | G2 Esports | 2-0 | s1mple | $2,000,000 |
| 17 | PGL Antwerp 2022 | May 2022 | FaZe Clan | Natus Vincere | 2-0 | broky | $1,000,000 |
| 18 | IEM Rio 2022 | Nov 2022 | Outsiders | Heroic | 2-0 | Jame | $1,250,000 |
| 19 | BLAST.tv Paris 2023 | May 2023 | Team Vitality | GamerLegion | 2-0 | ZywOo | $1,250,000 |
| 20 | IEM Katowice 2024 Major | Feb 2024 | Natus Vincere | FaZe Clan | 2-1 | w0nderful | $1,250,000 |
| 21 | PGL Copenhagen 2024 Major | Mar 2024 | Natus Vincere | FaZe Clan | 2-1 | w0nderful | $1,250,000 |
| 22 | Perfect World Shanghai 2024 | Dec 2024 | Team Spirit | FaZe Clan | 2-0 | donk | $1,250,000 |
| 23 | PGL Bucharest 2025 | Jun 2025 | Team Vitality | Team Spirit | 2-1 | ZywOo | $1,250,000 |
| 24 | BLAST Austin 2025 | Nov 2025 | MOUZ | Team Vitality | 2-1 | torzsi | $1,250,000 |
What is a Valve Major?
A Valve Major is a Counter-Strike tournament with a minimum $1.25M guaranteed prize pool in the modern cycle, co-organised with a third-party operator (historically ESL, PGL, DreamHack, BLAST, FACEIT, ELEAGUE). Only Majors carry the "Legends" and "Challengers" qualifications that grant automatic slots at the next Major. Valve also produces in-game sticker capsules featuring every participating team — sticker revenue is split with participants, often dwarfing the base prize pool for best-selling events.
Which teams have won the most CS Majors?
| Team | Titles | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astralis | 4 | 2017, 2018, 2019×2 | Only back-to-back Major winner |
| Natus Vincere | 3 | 2021, 2024×2 | Only team with CS2-era back-to-backs |
| Fnatic | 3 | 2013, 2015×2 | First-ever Valve Major winner |
| Team Vitality | 2 | 2023, 2025 | First French Major since LDLC 2014 |
| FaZe Clan | 1 | 2022 Antwerp | First Major for FaZe after years of finals |
| SK Gaming / Luminosity | 2 | 2016×2 | Same core roster under two org names |
| Team EnVyUs | 1 | 2015 Cluj-Napoca | First French-speaking Major win |
| Virtus.pro | 1 | 2014 Katowice | Iconic Polish golden-five roster |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | 1 | 2014 Cologne | Only NiP Major in the Valve era |
| LDLC | 1 | 2014 DH Winter | Became EnVyUs roster shortly after |
| Gambit | 1 | 2017 Krakow | First CIS-based Major winner |
| Cloud9 | 1 | 2018 Boston | Only North American Major winner |
| Outsiders | 1 | 2022 Rio | Formerly Virtus.pro org |
| Team Spirit | 1 | 2024 Shanghai | donk MVP at 17 years old |
| MOUZ | 1 | 2025 Austin | First MOUZ Major in 20+ years of org history |
How has the Major format evolved?
Early Majors (2013-2015) used 16-team group-stage formats with Bo1 groups and simple bracket playoffs. Valve introduced the Swiss format in 2016, where each team plays others with similar records until they accumulate 3 wins (advance) or 3 losses (eliminated). The modern three-stage format (Challengers → Legends → Champions) was standardised around 2019 and remains the template. Qualifier paths cycled through Minors (old) and Regional Major Rankings (RMRs, current) to decide which non-Legend teams earn Challenger slots.
| Era | Format | Entry path |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 – 2015 | Groups (Bo1) + Playoffs (Bo3) | Closed qualifiers |
| 2016 – 2019 | Swiss (Bo1) + Playoffs (Bo3) | Minors |
| 2019 – 2021 | Challengers + Legends + Champions (all Swiss + Playoffs) | Minors, then RMRs |
| 2022 – now | Challengers + Legends + Champions (Swiss Bo3 from late rounds) | Regional Major Rankings |
How much money do players earn from a Major?
Beyond the tournament prize pool (typically $1.25M-$2M split across 24 teams), Major players earn from Valve's sticker revenue share. Sticker capsules for a team at a Major typically generate $200,000-$500,000 per team across the event's sticker-sales window. For individual players, MVP-level performances at popular Majors (s1mple at Stockholm 2021, donk at Shanghai 2024) drove autograph-sticker sales above $2 million individually. Cumulative Major-era earnings for top players run into the tens of millions — see our earnings leaderboard for exact figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the next CS2 Major?
Valve announces each Major 6-9 months in advance. Two Majors per year is the typical cadence. Check our tournaments page for the current schedule.
Who has the most Major MVP awards?
device has 4 Major MVPs, all during Astralis' 2018-2019 run. s1mple, w0nderful and coldzera each have 2.
How do teams qualify for Major Challengers Stage?
Non-Legend teams qualify through Regional Major Ranking (RMR) events in each region. Finalists from the regional RMRs earn slots at the Major's Challengers Stage.
Which Major had the biggest prize pool?
PGL Stockholm 2021 held the Valve-era record with a $2,000,000 prize pool. Modern Majors have standardised at the $1.25M minimum.
