All CS:GO and CS2 Major Champions and MVPs

Counter-Strike Majors are the highest stage of the game. Since the first CS:GO Major in 2013, these tournaments have created legendary teams, unforgettable grand finals, historic upsets, and MVP performances that shaped the entire esport.

From the early Swedish era of Fnatic and Ninjas in Pyjamas to the Astralis dynasty, NAVI’s long-awaited triumph, the rise of CS2, and Falcons’ victory at IEM Cologne Major 2026, every Major has added a new chapter to Counter-Strike history.

In this article, we look back at every CS:GO and CS2 Major champion, finalist, MVP, prize pool, and the key story behind each tournament.

DreamHack Winter 2013, ESL Major Series One Katowice 2014, ESL One Cologne 2014, DreamHack Winter 2014, ESL One Katowice 2015, ESL One Cologne 2015, DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015, MLG Major Championship Columbus 2016, ESL One Cologne 2016, ELEAGUE Major Atlanta 2017, PGL Major Krakow 2017, ELEAGUE Major Boston 2018, FACEIT Major London 2018, IEM Katowice Major 2019, StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, PGL Major Stockholm 2021, PGL Major Antwerp 2022, IEM Rio Major 2022, BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, IEM Cologne Major 2026, Conclusion

DreamHack Winter 2013

Winner: Fnatic
Finalist: Ninjas in Pyjamas
MVP: Jesper “JW” Wecksell
Prize pool: $250,000

The first CS:GO Major was very different from modern tournaments. The game was still finding its identity, many CS 1.6 veterans were slowly adapting, and the professional scene was just beginning to form around Global Offensive.

Fnatic became the first Major champions after defeating Ninjas in Pyjamas in the grand final. JW was the star of the event and became the first Major MVP in CS:GO history. His aggressive AWPing helped define the early Swedish era and started Fnatic’s legendary Major legacy.

ESL Major Series One Katowice 2014

Winner: Virtus.pro
Finalist: Ninjas in Pyjamas
MVP: Jarosław “pashaBiceps” Jarząbkowski
Prize pool: $250,000

Katowice 2014 became a historic home victory for Virtus.pro. The Polish roster, led by iconic players like pashaBiceps, NEO and TaZ, defeated NiP in front of a passionate crowd.

pashaBiceps became the MVP of the tournament and one of the most beloved figures in Counter-Strike history. This Major also became famous for its stickers, which later turned into some of the most valuable items in CS:GO history.

ESL One Cologne 2014

Winner: Ninjas in Pyjamas
Finalist: Fnatic
MVP: Adam “friberg” Friberg
Prize pool: $250,000

After losing the first two Major finals, Ninjas in Pyjamas finally won their long-awaited title at ESL One Cologne 2014. NiP defeated Fnatic in a close best-of-three series and ended their Major curse.

friberg was named MVP for his impact and leadership in key rounds. The victory became the peak of NiP’s legendary early CS:GO run.

DreamHack Winter 2014

Winner: Team LDLC
Finalist: Ninjas in Pyjamas
MVP: Vincent “Happy” Schopenhauer
Prize pool: $250,000

DreamHack Winter 2014 brought the French scene to the top. Team LDLC defeated NiP in the final and became the first French-majority roster to win a CS:GO Major.

Happy was named MVP thanks to his intelligent lurking and calm decision-making. The tournament also marked the rise of players like shox, NBK and kioShiMa as Major champions.

ESL One Katowice 2015

Winner: Fnatic
Finalist: Ninjas in Pyjamas
MVP: Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer
Prize pool: $250,000

Fnatic became the first organization to win two CS:GO Majors. Their victory over NiP in Katowice confirmed them as one of the strongest teams in early CS:GO history.

olofmeister earned the MVP award after a series of brilliant performances. His explosive rifling and confidence made him one of the faces of the Fnatic era.

ESL One Cologne 2015

Winner: Fnatic
Finalist: Team EnVyUs
MVP: Robin “flusha” Rönnquist
Prize pool: $250,000

Fnatic continued their dominance by winning another Major in Cologne. They defeated Team EnVyUs in the grand final and became the first team to win three CS:GO Majors.

flusha was named MVP for his consistency, clutch ability and smart play. This tournament secured Fnatic’s place as one of the greatest teams in Counter-Strike history.

DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015

Winner: Team EnVyUs
Finalist: Natus Vincere
MVP: Kenny “kennyS” Schrub
Prize pool: $250,000

Team EnVyUs won the final CS:GO Major of 2015 after defeating NAVI. The tournament is remembered as one of the peaks of kennyS’ career.

Before the AWP nerfs changed the weapon’s role, kennyS was one of the most spectacular snipers in the game. His MVP performance in Cluj-Napoca became a symbol of the French AWP era.

MLG Major Championship Columbus 2016

Winner: Luminosity Gaming
Finalist: Natus Vincere
MVP: Marcelo “coldzera” David
Prize pool: $1,000,000

MLG Columbus 2016 was the first CS:GO Major with a $1 million prize pool. It also marked the rise of Brazilian Counter-Strike in Global Offensive.

Luminosity Gaming defeated NAVI in the final and shocked many fans who considered NAVI one of the favorites. coldzera became MVP and started one of the most dominant individual runs in Major history.

ESL One Cologne 2016

Winner: SK Gaming
Finalist: Team Liquid
MVP: Marcelo “coldzera” David
Prize pool: $1,000,000

The same Brazilian core won another Major, this time under the SK Gaming banner. SK defeated Team Liquid in the final and became back-to-back Major champions.

coldzera became the first player to win two Major MVP awards. His legendary jumping AWP play on Mirage also became one of the most iconic moments in Counter-Strike history.

ELEAGUE Major Atlanta 2017

Winner: Astralis
Finalist: Virtus.pro
MVP: Markus “Kjaerbye” Kjærbye
Prize pool: $1,000,000

ELEAGUE Atlanta 2017 gave fans the first Major title for Astralis. The Danish team defeated Virtus.pro in a dramatic final and started building the foundation of what would later become the greatest dynasty in CS:GO.

Kjaerbye became the MVP of the tournament and the first Danish player to receive a Major MVP award.

PGL Major Krakow 2017

Winner: Gambit Esports
Finalist: Immortals
MVP: Dauren “AdreN” Kystaubayev
Prize pool: $1,000,000

PGL Krakow 2017 was one of the biggest surprises in Major history. Gambit Esports defeated Immortals in the grand final and completed an unexpected championship run.

Zeus proved himself as an elite in-game leader after leaving NAVI, while AdreN became the MVP thanks to his incredible impact throughout the playoffs.

ELEAGUE Major Boston 2018

Winner: Cloud9
Finalist: FaZe Clan
MVP: Tarik “tarik” Celik
Prize pool: $1,000,000

ELEAGUE Boston 2018 remains one of the most emotional Majors ever. Cloud9 defeated FaZe Clan in an unforgettable final and became the first North American team to win a CS:GO Major.

The deciding map, Inferno, went to overtime and became one of the most legendary maps in Major history. tarik was named MVP and Cloud9’s victory became a defining moment for North American Counter-Strike.

FACEIT Major London 2018

Winner: Astralis
Finalist: Natus Vincere
MVP: Nicolai “device” Reedtz
Prize pool: $1,000,000

FACEIT Major London 2018 confirmed Astralis as the best team in the world. They defeated NAVI in a one-sided final and showed a level of tactical discipline that changed how Counter-Strike was played.

device won the MVP award, while Astralis began their true era of dominance with gla1ve, dupreeh, Xyp9x, Magisk and device.

IEM Katowice Major 2019

Winner: Astralis
Finalist: ENCE
MVP: Emil “Magisk” Reif
Prize pool: $1,000,000

Astralis continued their Major streak at IEM Katowice 2019. They defeated ENCE in the grand final and looked almost untouchable throughout the tournament.

Magisk became the MVP after a brilliant individual event. This Major showed Astralis at the peak of their structure, utility usage and teamplay.

StarLadder Berlin Major 2019

Winner: Astralis
Finalist: AVANGAR
MVP: Nicolai “device” Reedtz
Prize pool: $1,000,000

Astralis won their fourth Major title in Berlin and became the most successful team in CS:GO Major history. Their victory over AVANGAR was dominant and completed their legendary run.

device earned another MVP award, further strengthening his legacy as one of the greatest players in Counter-Strike history.

PGL Major Stockholm 2021

Winner: Natus Vincere
Finalist: G2 Esports
MVP: Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev
Prize pool: $2,000,000

After the pandemic break, Majors returned with PGL Stockholm 2021. NAVI finally won the title that had escaped the organization for years.

s1mple became Major MVP after one of the most dominant individual performances ever. NAVI won the tournament without losing a single map, and their victory over G2 in the final became the perfect ending to s1mple’s long chase for a Major trophy.

PGL Major Antwerp 2022

Winner: FaZe Clan
Finalist: Natus Vincere
MVP: Håvard “rain” Nygaard
Prize pool: $1,000,000

FaZe Clan won their first Major at PGL Antwerp 2022. The international roster defeated NAVI in the final and completed one of the most important chapters in the organization’s CS:GO history.

rain was named MVP after an incredible playoff performance. His impact in the final, especially on Inferno and Nuke, made him the hero of Antwerp.

IEM Rio Major 2022

Winner: Outsiders
Finalist: Heroic
MVP: Ali “Jame” Djami
Prize pool: $1,250,000

IEM Rio Major 2022 delivered another unexpected champion. Outsiders defeated Heroic in the final and proved that disciplined, slow and calculated Counter-Strike could still win the biggest trophy.

Jame became MVP after leading the team with his unique style. The Major was also historic because it was the first one held in Brazil.

BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023

Winner: Team Vitality
Finalist: GamerLegion
MVP: Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
Prize pool: $1,250,000

The final CS:GO Major took place in Paris, and Team Vitality won it on home soil. The team defeated GamerLegion in the grand final and gave the CS:GO era a perfect French ending.

ZywOo was named MVP after leading Vitality throughout the event. For him, the Paris Major became the long-awaited Major title that completed his CS:GO legacy.

PGL Major Copenhagen 2024

Winner: Natus Vincere
Finalist: FaZe Clan
MVP: Justinas “jL” Lekavicius
Prize pool: $1,250,000

PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 was the first Major in CS2 history. NAVI defeated FaZe Clan in the grand final and became the first CS2 Major champions.

jL was the standout player of the tournament and earned the MVP award. His playoff performances, especially in the final, made him one of the biggest heroes of the new CS2 era.

Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024

Winner: Team Spirit
Finalist: FaZe Clan
MVP: Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
Prize pool: $1,250,000

Team Spirit won the Shanghai Major and confirmed the arrival of a new superstar generation. donk became the MVP after an extraordinary tournament and one of the most explosive Major performances ever.

His confidence, aim and raw impact made him the face of Spirit’s championship run. The victory also showed that CS2 had already created its own new legends.

BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025

Winner: Team Vitality
Finalist: The MongolZ
MVP: Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
Prize pool: $1,250,000

Vitality continued their dominance by winning the Austin Major. ZywOo once again became the MVP and added another massive achievement to his career.

The tournament was also historic because The MongolZ became the first Asian team to reach a Major grand final. Their run was one of the biggest stories of the event and proved how global Counter-Strike had become.

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Winner: Team Vitality
Finalist: FaZe Clan
MVP: Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
Prize pool: $1,250,000

Vitality won another Major in Budapest, continuing one of the strongest eras of modern Counter-Strike. ZywOo was again the main star and received another MVP award.

The tournament was also important because StarLadder returned to Major-level Counter-Strike. FaZe reached the final after a long and difficult path, but Vitality were too strong in the decisive match.

IEM Cologne Major 2026

Winner: Falcons
Finalist: FURIA
MVP: Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov
Prize pool: $1,250,000

IEM Cologne Major 2026 became one of the most unpredictable Majors of the CS2 era. Falcons won the first Major title in the organization’s history after defeating FURIA in the grand final at LANXESS Arena.

m0NESY was named MVP after a brilliant tournament. His consistency, clutch ability and impact in the most important rounds made him the defining player of the event.

The Major was full of surprises. 9z reached the playoffs, Aurora made an impressive run to the semifinals, while teams like NAVI and Vitality exited earlier than many expected. Falcons’ victory over Vitality in the quarterfinals became one of the biggest turning points of the tournament, ending Vitality’s hopes of winning a third consecutive Major.

The event also gave fans unforgettable moments, including magixx’s incredible 1v4 clutch against G2 and a dramatic playoff bracket that made Cologne one of the most exciting Majors in CS2 history.

How Much Teams Earned at Cologne 2026

Conclusion

From Fnatic’s first Major victory in 2013 to Falcons’ triumph at IEM Cologne Major 2026, Counter-Strike Majors have always been more than just tournaments. They are the moments where eras begin, legends are created, and the history of the game changes forever.

Fnatic, SK Gaming, Astralis, NAVI, Vitality, Spirit and Falcons all left their mark on the Major timeline. At the same time, players like JW, pashaBiceps, olofmeister, coldzera, device, s1mple, ZywOo, donk and m0NESY became symbols of excellence on the biggest stage.

CS:GO built the foundation of modern Counter-Strike esports, while CS2 is already creating its own champions and unforgettable stories. Every Major adds a new name to the legacy, and every MVP becomes part of the history that fans will remember for years.