Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike 2: its teams, tournaments, transfers and the business around them.
IEM Cologne 2027 gets four days at the LANXESS arena and a 360 stage
ESL sets IEM Cologne 2027 for August 4 to 15: eight teams in the arena playoffs over four days, a central 360-degree stage, and a first ticket wave on October 15.
RankingsSingapore Major invites a month away: where NAVI, FaZe and paiN stand
With the November 2 standings set to decide the 32 places, Natus Vincere sit 19th in Europe, FaZe 11th and paiN well outside the Americas places, HLTV's review shows.
OrganizationsEnvy return to Counter-Strike with the former 3DMAX roster
Envy announced its return to Counter-Strike by signing the five French players who played as 3DMAX, HLTV reported on September 29, five weeks before the Major cut-off.
RostersThe MongolZ bench DarkMeister and tikuak, leaving three active players
The MongolZ moved DarkMeister and tikuak to the bench on September 15, two months after adding them. Three players are active before PGL Masters Bucharest in October.
TransfersNinjas in Pyjamas sign adamb from OG and field a full five again
NIP signed Swedish rifler adamb from OG on September 14, twelve days after taking Krimbo on loan from BIG. The team goes to Warsaw with five players and no stand-in.
RankingsValve's September CS2 standings arrive a day late and backdated
Valve released its September 2026 standings on a Tuesday, dated them to the Monday and then removed events unfinished on that day, leaving organizers with invite dates to reconcile.
RostersNinjas in Pyjamas move Snappi out of the five and seek a new leader
Ninjas in Pyjamas announced on August 31 that in-game leader Snappi has stepped down from the active roster by mutual agreement. No replacement has been named.
Salaries3DMAX players and coaches go public over late and unpaid salaries
A player and two coaches of the French Counter-Strike team 3DMAX described late pay and its weight on results in statements HLTV reported on August 27.
SalariesMonte and Bymas trade public statements over unpaid salary and stickers
Bymas says Monte owes him tens of thousands of dollars in salary, prize money, bonuses and Major sticker revenue. Monte admits delays but calls the claim a lie.
RankingsSpirit overtake Falcons as HLTV's top-ranked Counter-Strike team
HLTV's Counter-Strike ranking of August 24, 2026 lists Spirit first with 998 points and Falcons second with 754. A week earlier Falcons led by 81 points.
TournamentsTeam Spirit Beat FUT Esports to Win CS2 at the Esports World Cup 2026
Team Spirit came back from an opening map loss to beat FUT Esports 3-1 and win Counter-Strike 2 at the Esports World Cup 2026, with donk named tournament MVP.
OrganizationsFURIA moves its women's team from Counter-Strike to Valorant
FURIA said on August 17 that its women's Counter-Strike team will switch to Valorant after six years, the latest exit since the ESL Impact circuit stopped at the end of 2025.
Prize MoneyHLTV reports Passion UA owe former team their Budapest sticker money
HLTV reports that the former Counter-Strike players and staff of Passion UA are owed Budapest Major sticker money, prize money and wages. The CEO stopped answering its questions.
CreatorsEsports World Cup names its CS2 main-stage talent for Paris
Hosts, analysts, commentators and reporters for the Counter-Strike 2 tournament of the Esports World Cup in Paris, with new hosts and two French voices in week two.
OrganizationsGentle Mates leave Counter-Strike as roster returns to Iberian Soul
The French organization has withdrawn from Counter-Strike after a year with its Spanish roster. Its players are back under the Iberian Soul name at the Esports World Cup open qualifier.
RankingsSpirit lead Valve's August standings as Vitality slip to fifth
Valve's standings of August 3, 2026 have Team Spirit first with 2011 points and Team Vitality fifth, their first time outside the top four since August 2024. Six events draw invites from it.
AcademiesCS2 Prospects ranking: 31 young players graduate after Season 2
A leading Counter-Strike statistics site lists the 31 players leaving its Prospects ranking: 11 passed a map limit at the top level, 20 turned 21.
Prize MoneyCologne Major stickers paid teams a fraction of Budapest, HLTV reports
A month after the IEM Cologne Major, HLTV sets out what Valve's new sticker system paid teams: about US$60,000 for one early exit, against US$600,000 for a Budapest capsule.
National TeamsFrom 87 national squads to 24: the Esports Nations Cup field in CS2
The Counter-Strike 2 qualifiers of the Esports Nations Cup are over. Which 24 nations go to Riyadh in November, how twelve of the squads were built and what they play for.
AcademiesNIP put the Young Ninjas academy on hold and release its players
Ninjas in Pyjamas announced on July 20 that its Counter-Strike academy, Young Ninjas, is on hold for the foreseeable future. Three players and the coach are free to sign elsewhere.