Vitality, NAVI, and G2 Secure Direct Invites to Stage 3 of BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025

Vitality, G2, FaZe, and NAVI are among the top teams set to compete at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, though not all will begin from the same starting point. Following the latest CS2 rankings update on April 7, BLAST has finalized the list of direct invites for both the Major and its regional qualifiers (MRQs).

The world's top 16 teams have been confirmed, with some advancing directly to Stage 3, while others must navigate through earlier rounds.

European Invites

The following teams will advance straight to Stage 3:

• Vitality
• Spirit
• NAVI
• MOUZ
• G2
• Aurora (formerly Eternal Fire)

Meanwhile, the teams starting from Stage 2 are:

• Falcons
• FaZe
• Virtus.pro
• 3DMAX

Europe will also feature the largest MRQ, with 16 teams competing for 6 slots. Participants include: Astralis, HEROIC, GamerLegion, BIG, ENCE, fnatic, OG, SAW, 500, Nemiga, 9 Pandas, B8, BetBoom, PARIVISION, Metizport, and BC.Game.

North American Invites

From the entire Americas region, Liquid is the sole team to receive a direct invite to Stage 3.Starting from Stage 2 are:

• M80
• paiN
• FURIA
• MIBR

Competing in the North American MRQ will be: Complexity, NRG, Nouns, Getting Info, Wildcard, Marsborne, MIGHT, and BLUEJAYS.

South America

The South American MRQ will feature Imperial, Legacy, ODDIK, RED Canids, Fluxo, Sharks, BESTIA, and Solid, with three Major slots up for grabs.

China

China’s MRQ will award two Major slots. Participants include:

• TYLOO
• Rare Atom
• Lynn Vision
• DogEvil

Competition in China is expected to be fiercer compared to other parts of Asia.

Oceania

Oceania’s MRQ features just four teams competing for one slot:

• Rooster
• FlyQuest
• ex-TALON
• SemperFi

Asia

Like Liquid, The MongolZ received a direct invite to Stage 3. Competing in the Asian MRQ will be:

• The Huns
• Gods Reign
• Eruption
• Chinggis Warriors

Only one Major slot is available for this region. Notably, ATOX will miss the Major due to a suspension; the duration of their ban remains undisclosed (more details here).

MRQ Schedule 🗓️

• Europe: April 14–17
• North America: April 15–17
• South America: April 15–17
• China: April 15–17
• Asia: April 15–17
• Oceania: April 15–17

Major Mascot 🪖

The organizers have unveiled an official mascot for the Austin Major — a stylized fighter wearing a helmet, now featured in the event’s logo and promotional materials. However, fan reception on social media has been mixed, with many criticizing the design as overly cartoonish and unrepresentative of CS's gritty aesthetic.

Event Overview

The BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 will run from June 2 to 22 in Austin, USA, featuring a $1,250,000 prize pool and the world’s best CS2 teams battling for glory.