BLAST.tv Austin Major Stage 2: All qualified teams

The opening stage of the BLAST.tv Austin Major has concluded, with eight teams entering stage two alongside a fresh batch of competitors.

Sixteen teams from across the world competed over five rounds of matches to book a place in the next stage as the Moody Center’s playoff stage moves into view. 

With Stage 2 taking centre stage this weekend, Esports Insider takes a closer look at all the teams competing in this section of the BLAST.tv Austin Major.

Having won PGL Bucharest earlier this year, Team Falcons are one of several notable teams looking to make a run at the Playoffs in Stage 2. Following the blockbuster signing of Ilya’ M0NESY’ Osipov, many are expecting Team Falcons to take flight in Austin. 

Ranked 12th in the June 2nd Valve Regional Standings (VRS), 3DMAX looks to build on its top-12 finish from last year’s previous Major, the Perfect World Shanghai Major.

The French organisation has shown glimpses of potential this year with a top-eight placement at PGL Bucharest, making the Major the perfect opportunity to showcase its peak on Counter-Strike’s biggest stage.

Virtus.pro’s 2025 season hasn’t been the most exciting in terms of accolades. An 11th-place finish at PGL Astana and a top-16 placement at IEM Melbourne mean the team, ranked 15th in the world, has a lot to prove. 

The team has plenty of experience within its ranks, such as former NAVI player and PGL Stockholm Major champion, Denis ‘electroNic’ Sharipov, which could prove crucial if VP is going to make an impact in Austin.

PaiN Gaming is another South American team heading into Stage 2 looking to reverse its fortune. One win out of its last ten LAN matches puts the Brazilians on the back foot.

A strong performance at the Major could be the swing in momentum PaiN is looking for to steer its season back onto the right track.

The PGL Antwerp Major winners from 2022 have experienced a period of turbulence. After benching Helvijs ‘broky’ Saukants in May, FaZe Clan recruited Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostylijev, widely regarded as one of the best Counter-Strike players of all time, on loan from NAVI.

After a disappointing top-12 finish at IEM Dallas —albeit with an emergency stand-in — the Red Militia and its famous loanee have the chance to make an unprecedented run.

Currently ranked 16th, FURIA is one of several teams looking to make an impact in Stage 2. Despite some stiff competition, the Brazilian side features a strong mix of established talents (Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo) and youth (Danil ‘molodoy’ Golubenko) who are capable of scoring victories. 

If the team can begin Stage 2 on the front foot, the chances of the team advancing to Stage 3 is high.

MIBR (Made in Brazil) is another Brazilian team looking to advance to the third stage of the BLAST.tv Austin Major.

A top-eight finish at PGL Astana and a top-12 placement at IEM Melbourne saw glimpses of the team’s capabilities in tier-one competitions.  Recent victories over PaiN Gaming and Virtus.pro in a LAN environment put MIBR in a solid position to advance to the next stage.

Following the departures of NRG, Complexity and Wildcard in Stage 1, North American organisation M80 has the chance to keep the hopes of a region alive with a strong Stage 2 showing. 

Despite three defeats at PGL Astana, there were some signs that the team is capable of competing against some of Counter-Strike’s established names.

B8 was one of the first teams to make it into Stage 2 after scoring a 3-0 record in Stage 1. Ranked 20th in the latest VRS, the Ukrainians head into the second stage full of confidence.

Wins over Imperial Esports, OG Esports, and Wildcard make B8 one of the few teams to defeat teams from Europe and the Americas. The team begins Stage 2 with an opening round clash against Team Falcons, a match that is bound to be a test for B8’s impressive start to the Major.

Currently ranked 15th, the BLAST.tv Austin Major is the last time this iteration of HEROIC will compete in a Counter-Strike tournament. After the tournament, Álvaro ‘SunPayus’ García and coach Eetu ‘sAw’ Saha will join G2 Esports.

The European side kicked off its Major campaign with comfortable victories over NRG, Chinggis Warriors and FlyQuest, laying the foundations for one last deep run into the tournament. The team is also set for a tantalising opening match against FaZe Clan.

Ranked 36th, BetBoom Team booked its place in Stage 2 of the Austin Major with a 3-1 record, picking up victories against Nemiga Gaming, Legacy, and Wildcard. Notably, the team won the most rounds out of the 3-1 teams, scoring 67 in total. 

A strong performance in Stage 2 has the potential to see BetBoom climb up the rankings, laying the foundations for a strong second half to 2025. The team’s opening match of Stage 2 will be against 3DMAX.

Belarusian organisation Nemiga Gaming also scored a 3-1 record, picking up victories over Imperial Esports, Lynn Vision Gaming and FlyQuest. 

Ranked 45th in the world, the team, like many others in Stage 2, has an excellent opportunity to keep the momentum flowing and make it to Stage 3. However, a win against its opening opponent, PaiN, could be crucial.

Following an excellent performance from Nico ‘nicodoz’ Tamjidi in Stage 1, OG Esports has shown that it can spring a surprise at the Major. The third team to earn a 3-1 record defeated TYLOO, Complexity and NRG to lock in a Stage 2 spot.

If OG can capitalise on the form of its players displayed in the opening stage, the expectation to qualify for Stage 3 is there. OG Esports will face off against Virtus.Pro in Stage 2 Round 1.

Chinese organisation Lynn Vision Gaming is one of two teams from the region that have secured qualification for Stage 2 of the Major, impressively putting the Asian Counter-Strike scene on the international stage. 

Wins against Legacy, Chinggis Warriors and NRG were enough for the team to advance, and after catching several by surprise, there’s every chance it can look to give some household names a run for their money. To do that, Lynn will be looking to start on the right foot with a win against FURIA.

Ranked 48th, Legacy wasn’t expecting to compete at the BLAST.tv Austin Major after losing to BESTIA in the South American MRQ. After the Argentine organisation missed the visa deadline, BLAST selected the team to represent the region. 

The team’s path to Stage 2 was the longest, scoring a 3-2 map record with wins over Chinggis Warriors, Imperial Esports, and Wildcard. With a chance of making it even further into the tournament, the team has a chance to cement its legacy at the pinnacle of Counter-Strike. The Brazilian organisation will face its fellow countrymen, MIBR, in the opening round.

The final team to secure a place in Stage 2 of the Austin Major is TYLOO. Despite an opening defeat to NRG, the Chinese side bounced back with wins over Metizport, Complexity, and FlyQuest in Stage 1.

In recent years, TYLOO has established itself as one of the most recognisable Counter-Strike teams from Asia, and after defeating one of many North American hopefuls, it will be keen to keep building on its early momentum. TYLOO will kick off its Stage 2 campaign against M80.