Esports lovers gather: Budapest to host Counter-Strike Major in billion-forint esports surge – UPDATE: VIDEO

Esports tournament organiser StarLadder will host a Counter-Strike 2 Major in Budapest, officials announced in the capital on Wednesday.

Zsolt Nyitrai, an adviser to the prime minister, said the announcement of the major, to culminate in a four-day playoff stage inside Budapest’s MVM Dome, was “a big step forward” for Hungary in the area of esports and a “fantastic opportunity” to raise the country’s global profile.

The event, with a USD 1.25 million prize pool, will run from 24 November to 14 December, finishing at MVM Dome on 11-14 December. It is expected to draw around 40,000 tourists who will spend between EUR 65 and EUR 220 a day in Budapest.

Dániel Hodozsán, in charge of operations at Esport1, StarLadder‘s Hungarian partner, said annual spending on esports in Hungary was rising “dynamically” and stood at HUF 70bn at present.

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UPDATE: Additional details and TEASER VIDEO released about the event

StarLadder announced that it will host the second Counter-Strike 2 Major of 2025 in Budapest, Hungary, culminating in a four-day Playoff stage inside the MVM Dome – one of the largest and most advanced esports venues in Europe, and one of the biggest CS2 Major venues to date.

The event will run from November 24 to December 14, featuring the world’s top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams competing for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in the esports world.

Kicking off on November 24, the early stages of the tournament will take place at Budapest’s MTK Sportpark, a recently upgraded venue with seating for 2,000 spectators. This modern, esports-ready venue offers fans a unique opportunity to get close to the action and experience high-level Counter-Strike in the vibrant atmosphere of an offline setting.