Spirit, Vitality roll into semis at StarLadder Budapest Major

Field Level Media|published: Thu 11th December, 17:07 2025

A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home. Jordan Woodruff

Team Spirit and Team Vitality cruised into the semifinals of the StarLadder Budapest Major by sweeping their respective quarterfinal matches on Thursday in Hungary.

Spirit defeated Team Falcons 2-0 and Vitality crushed The MongolZ by the same score to open the eight-team, single-elimination playoff bracket.

Spirit and Vitality will square off Saturday in one of the two semifinal matches with a chance at the $500,000 grand prize up for grabs.

Thirty-two teams began play in the $1.25 million Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event, which featured three consecutive Swiss System stages ahead of the playoffs.

Sixteen teams competed in each Swiss System stage. Eight invited teams started in Stage 2, and eight more got a bye into Stage 3. In each Swiss System stage, elimination and advancement matches were best-of-three and all others were best-of-one.

The tournament concludes with a single-elimination playoff stage. All matches are best-of-three until Sunday's grand final, which is best-of-five. The winner will take home $500,000.

On Thursday, Team Spirit blasted Team Falcons 13-4 on Nuke before earning a 16-12 overtime win on Dust II. Russian Danil "donk" Kryshkovets led Spirit with 46 kills and an impressive plus-24 kills-to-deaths differential.

Vitality waltzed past The MongolZ by prevailing 13-5 on Mirage and 13-4 on Dust II. Vitality star Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut of France posted 46 kills on a whopping plus-28 K-D.

The tournament continues Friday with the remaining two quarterfinal matches:

--MOUZ vs. FaZe Clan

--Natus Vincere vs. FURIA

StarLadder Budapest Major prize pool

1. $500,000

2. $170,000

3-4. $80,000

5-8. $45,000 -- Team Falcons, The MongolZ, two teams TBA

9-11. $20,000 -- B8, G2 Esports, Passion UA

12-14. $20,000 -- Imperial Esports, 3DMAX, paiN Gaming

15-16. $20,000 -- Team Liquid, PARIVISION

17-19. $10,000 -- Ninjas in Pyjamas, M80, Astralis