Starting in 2025, Counter-Strike Majors will undergo significant changes, expanding from 24 to 32 teams. This expansion will mark a major shift in the format of these events, with the BLAST.tv Austin Major being the first to implement these changes.
The current qualification system, which has included Regional Major Ranking (RMR) events for the last four years, will be replaced. Although details remain unclear, it is expected that future Major invitations will largely rely on Valve’s team rankings, known as Valve Regional Standings (VRS).
To accommodate the expanded number of teams, an additional Swiss stage will be introduced alongside the existing Opening and Elimination stages. This will result in Majors being extended by approximately four days, increasing the duration from 14 to 18 days.
The BLAST.tv Austin Major, scheduled for June 9-22, 2025, will be the first to feature this new structure. Fortunately, this extension is not expected to conflict with other events, though it will bring the start date closer to the conclusion of StarLadder StarSeries S19 and Skyesports Masters 2025, both set to end on June 1.
The evolution of Counter-Strike Majors began in 2013 with 16 teams and was later expanded to 24 for the ELEAGUE Major in 2018. This upcoming expansion marks the most significant overhaul to the Major format since then, ushering in a new era for the competition.
