After an exhilarating group stage at IEM Melbourne 2025—where titans fell and underdogs rose—we are down to the final six playoff teams! Pinnacle breaks down the playoff contenders and their opening matchups.
Playoffs team preview
MOUZ
MOUZ currently holds the #2 spot in Valve's rankings and #3 in HLTV's world rankings, showcasing remarkable consistency with deep playoff runs in recent top-tier tournaments. However, Team Vitality remains their greatest hurdle - MOUZ has fallen to Vitality in their last two tournament encounters, resulting in back-to-back runner-up finishes. With both teams advancing to the playoffs, we could witness a third Grand Final showdown between these European powerhouses.
GamerLegion (GL)
GL has secured another playoff berth following their recent appearance at PGL Bucharest 2025. Their first-round opponent? Falcons - a rematch of their last encounter where Falcons prevailed 2-1. Despite GL's strong 66.7% win rate on Inferno (their map pick), they failed to close it out last time. Now, against Falcons' revamped roster, GL seeks redemption in this highly anticipated revenge match.
Falcons
Falcons just claimed their first-ever organizational trophy at PGL Bucharest 2025 and have since made a major roster change. The Bucharest MVP, Abdul “degster” Gasanov, has been replaced by former G2 AWPer and young star Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov. This move reunites “m0NESY” with his ex-G2 teammate, star rifler Nikola “NiKo” Kovač.
The new-look Falcons made their debut at IEM Melbourne, securing a playoff spot with their only loss coming against Vitality. With “NiKo” maintaining a 1.18 rating and “m0NESY” posting a 1.10 rating over the last three months, this dynamic duo is poised to lead Falcons' charge for more championships.
Team Vitality
Team Vitality stands unchallenged as the #1 team in the world, having won three consecutive top-tier tournaments. Their current 19-match LAN win streak ranks as the third-longest in CS:GO/CS2 history - and it's still growing. With a 95% win rate over the last three months, including perfect 100% records on Inferno and Train plus dominant >80% win rates on Dust 2 and Nuke, Vitality enters this tournament as the undisputed favorite.
The MongolZ
The MongolZ have reached another top-tier playoff for the first time since ESL Pro League Season 21. Their innovative playstyle - like using the C4 bomb as a fake flash against FaZe in the group stage - showcases the creativity that makes Asian CS so unique.
Their playoff journey begins against Team Liquid. A victory would likely set up a semifinal clash with Vitality, the team that ended their last two playoff runs. Can The MongolZ finally overcome the odds this time?
Team Liquid
Team Liquid, while one of CS2's most storied organizations, hasn't appeared in a top-tier playoff for some time. The roster underwent two key changes in 2025: Guy “NertZ” Iluz replaced Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis at the start of the year, and Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek took over from Justin “jks” Savage earlier this month. Now, with their first playoff appearance of 2025 secured, Liquid is undoubtedly hungry for deeper tournament runs.
Playoffs Opening Matches
GamerLegion (+224*) vs. Falcons (-297*)
GamerLegion (GL) and Falcons face off in a playoff quarterfinal rematch. In their last encounter, Falcons won 2-1, claiming both GL's map pick (Inferno) and the decider (Ancient). Now with their revamped roster - including “m0NESY” replacing “degster” - Falcons theoretically boast even stronger firepower. Given these factors, Falcons are favored to repeat their victory, priced at -297* on the Money Line.
Bet: GamerLegion vs. Falcons odds
The MongolZ (-153*) vs. Liquid (+126*)
This quarterfinal clash pits a rising organization (The MongolZ) against a veteran squad (Team Liquid) - though The MongolZ hold the edge in recent top-tier performances. However, Liquid’s roster revamp has reignited their competitive form, propelling them back into playoffs after eliminating Natus Vincere (NAVI) in the group stage.
This match serves as the ultimate test: Can Liquid’s rebuilt roster maintain their momentum against Asia’s rising stars? For bettors, Liquid (+126*) offers solid value as a Money Line underdog, while the safer +1.5 Handicap (-252*) provides insurance against a close series.
Bet: The MongolZ vs. Liquid odds
*Odds subject to change
