15 esports teams to watch in 2025: Top organisations to follow

Who are the top esports teams to watch in 2025? Esports is now bigger, better, and bolder than ever. And behind every major victory or prize pool jackpot, there’s a powerhouse team. Some are veterans with years of experience behind them, while others are newcomers already making waves. One thing’s for sure, though: the esports world never stays still for long. 

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2025, several esports organisations stand out from the crowd. In this esports teams ranking, Esports Insider is spotlighting 15 orgs to watch, based on their recent performance, prize winnings, and overall impact on the scene. 

With a packed tournament calendar and high-stakes finals around every corner, the 2025 esports schedule is shaping up to be one of the busiest and most exciting yet, and we’re only halfway through the year! As teams prepare for LAN events, league seasons, and international championships, these are the organisations making headlines and dominating the global stage. 

As the longest-standing squad on this esports teams list, Evil Geniuses (EG) has left its mark on every genre in gaming. In nearly thirty years, it has scored over 215 championships across multiple esports. Known for its lasting legacy and influence on games like StarCraft, Dota 2, and League of Legends, EG is a powerhouse in North American esports. It famously won The International 2015 in Dota 2, netting over $6 million – one of the largest single-event winnings in esports history. 

Now, though, EG focuses its genius solely on VALORANT after claiming the championship title in 2023. It also fosters the growth of future talent development for the next generation of esports stars. 

Virtus.pro is one of the most iconic esports teams to come out of the CIS region, with standout moments in both CS:GO and Dota 2. In the global esports teams ranking for total prize money won, Virtus.pro currently stands in the top ten with around $20.8 million. 

As one of the veteran esports organizations, it’s shown that legacy still has a strong place in modern esports games, competing in Dota 2, CS2, and Overwatch 2. With a committed fanbase and a storied history behind them, Virtus.pro continues to bridge the gap between old-school prestige and the new era of competitive gaming, entering newer titles like Marvel Rivals. 

Founded in 2013, Cloud9 (C9) has established itself as one of the esports greats. The name Cloud9 was inspired by the expression “on cloud nine,” fitting with its goal of creating an elite-level esports brand, with the C9 tag becoming iconic across the scene. 

Over the past decade, the North-American-based org has racked up over 170 first-place finishes and remains the sole NA team to ever secure a Counter-Strike Major win, where it took the crown at ELEAGUE Boston 2018. In 2025, it continues to compete at the highest level in multiple esports games, including CS2, VALORANT, and League of Legends, maintaining its status as one of NA’s most influential and competitive teams.

As a fairly new esports organisation at only three years old, Aurora Gaming is already shaping up to be a diamond in the rough. In its short tenure, it has already amassed a devout fan base of over 19 million fans. It also lifted six trophies across multiple different esports, earning over $2 million in prize money, with $290K of that from 2025 alone, according to Esports Earnings. 

Hyper-focused on titles like CS2, Dota 2, and MLBB, Aurora has quickly built a reputation for signing top-tier talent to gain that competitive edge. With its rapid rise and results to match, Aurora Gaming is quickly proving it’s not just here to compete, it’s also here to usher the world of esports into a new dawn. 

Legends in the esports scene, OG, has been around for over ten years, cementing its name in the history books. It rose to fame and fortune largely thanks to its Dota 2 squad as the first team to win The International back-to-back in 2018 and 2019, earning a huge portion of its impressive total $38 million prize pool. 

While OG has dropped off a bit amid other rising stars on this esports teams list, OG’s resilience remains unmatched. True to its motto, “Against the Odds,” it continues to prove that even in the rapidly evolving scene, it is never out of the fight.  

Grounded in South Korean esports, T1 is easily one of the most popular esports teams on the League of Legends scene, building on the legacy of SK Telecom T1. It has multiple championship titles in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, and 2024, thanks to the leadership of The Unkillable Demon King, Faker. Its LoL career has accounted for the majority of its $9M prize money, but that hasn’t stopped the South Korean org from venturing into other esports like VALORANT, TFT, and Overwatch 2.  

With a legacy rooted in greatness and a future full of promise, T1 remains a defining force in global esports, with over 789 million hours watched, and it is showing no signs of slowing down just yet. 

Natus Vincere, which translates to “born to win” in Latin, is an appropriate name for the European dream team. It has seen the most success with Counter-Strike, as the first team to win every single Counter-Strike Major in a single year, which it achieved back in 2010. NAVI also went on to make history in CS2, as it won the first-ever Major in the new game at PGL Copenhagen 2024 and is the reigning CS2 World Cup champions. 

It also fields successful esports teams in other disciplines like MLBB, Dota 2, and VALORANT, remaining as one of the most respected and dangerous names in competitive gaming. 

Under its banners of black and orange, Fnatic has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the esports industry. The London-based squad holds multiple prestigious accolades and esports awards, including seven LEC awards, three CS:GO Majors, and were VCT Masters 2023 champions. Notably, the European squad was the first-ever champion of the LoL World Championship and has a track record of nearly always qualifying for LoL Worlds, an impressive feat. 

In 2025, Fnatic has seen the most success in VALORANT, where its squad recently triumphed over Team Heretics in a dominant 3-0 showing at VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1. Overall, FNC has seen ups and downs over the years, but its ability to adapt to new eras has kept it in the conversation. 

FaZe Clan started with trickshot montages on YouTube and has since evolved into a household name, one of the most popular esports teams in the biz. Based in Los Angeles, it has grown into a fully-fledged media company that produces original content and lifestyle products. Its recognisable black-and-red brand has earned them back-to-back Esports Team of the Year Awards in 2022 and 2023. 

On the competitive front, FaZe holds onto its FPS roots, with strong performances in titles like CoD, CS2, and Rainbow Six Siege. Its recent victory at the Six Invitational 2025 is a testament to its staying power in top-tier competition.

G2 Esports is easily one of the most storied teams in Europe, with over 100 first-place finishes and a fanbase 30 million strong according to its official website. It had strong performances in the LoL scene with a record 16 LEC titles and made history as the only Western team to win the MSI back in 2019. 

Its CS2 and VALORANT squads have also delivered, finishing second at VCT Masters Bangkok 2025. In VALORANT specifically, G2’s rise to secure an Ascension spot for the VCT Americas league has been one of esports’ greatest success stories. 

Outside the server, G2’s brand is just as powerful, securing esports sponsorships with top brands like Red Bull, Mastercard, Ralph Lauren, and Logitech. With high-level rosters and a global following, G2 remains a titan of competitive gaming in 2025. 

Although only a few years old, Tundra Esports has quickly become a powerhouse in European esports, known for its specialisation in Dota 2. Originally founded as a UK-based org, Tundra shot to global recognition after winning The International 11 in 2022 without losing a single series in the main event. 

2025 looks set to maintain its positive streak, as it’s won over $1.5M in prize money and secured solid results across multiple esports events already. Its recent BLAST Slam victory marked its third first-place finish and seventh podium finish this year, adding to its existing esports awards trophy cabinet.  

Born in the heart of Paris, we have Team Vitality. The French-based squad is widely regarded as one of the best esports teams in recent history, particularly in the Counter-Strike scene. Its CS squad, led by top talent like ZywOo and apEX, has racked up over $7 million in winnings, including a dominant showing at recent IEM events to make them rank #1 in official Valve Regional Standings for competitive CS2. 

Beyond Counter-Strike, Vitality trains world-class international players and competes across 12 other games, including Rocket League, LoL, and VALORANT. For the latter, it won the VCT EMEA Kickoff event earlier this year, lifting its first-ever tier one VALORANT trophy. 

Team Spirit has carved out a name for itself and become one of the best esports teams in the world, most notably in Dota 2 and CS2. Its breakthrough win at The International 2021 was huge, and it stayed competitive ever since, bagging over $29 million in prize money from Valve’s MOBA alone. 

Its success has carried over to CS2, where Spirit has also been crowned PGL Astana champions after standout player donk secured a 1v4 clutch against Astralis. Last year, Spirit also won the Perfect World Shanghai Major, marking the org’s first Counter-Strike Major victory. 

A dark horse in the early 2000s, Team Liquid has emerged to be a prize stallion in the esports world. Originally starting with StarCraft: Brood War, the esports organisation has since built up an impressive legacy, with top-tier rosters across Dota 2, LoL, CS2, and VALORANT. With nearly 3,000 tournaments completed and over $54 million in prize winnings, it is a stable fixture in every major competitive scene. 

Beyond the leaderboards, Team Liquid’s contributions to the ecosystem are just as important. Its wiki, Liquipedia, remains the most trusted esports knowledge base in the world, cementing its place at the heart of the industry. 

Team Falcons is proving it belongs amongst the elite, consistently coming as runners-up in some recent esports events. The Saudi Arabian squad has already made waves with competitive rosters in titles like Dota 2, CS2, and MLBB and rising placements. As the home hero of the Esports World Cup 2024, it also scored an impressive first place with the most Club Championship Points, winning $7 million out of the total $62.5 million prize pool. 

Momentum is clearly on its side. With major player pickups like m0NESY and NiKo for CS2 and a PGL Bucharest victory under its belt, Falcons are soaring fast. Based on its form this year, Team Falcons is the esports team to watch in 2025.

As 2025 continues to ramp up, these 15 esports teams are pushing the limits of competitive play and shaping the future of esports as a whole. From household names to rising stars, each org brings something new to the space, and its stories are far from over. With the stakes higher than ever, now’s the perfect time to follow the action with top esports betting sites like GG.bet and BetWhale and see who claims the next crown. 

If you’re looking to get involved yourself, most of these orgs have an esports jobs section on their official websites. For the latest esports news, be sure to keep your eyes on Esports Insider.