Thunderpick World Championship Overview 2025

The Thunderpick World Championship (TWC) is back this fall with one of the biggest Counter-Strike 2 tournaments of 2025. The Closed Qualifier wrapped up earlier this month, with 4 more teams earning their spots at the Finals. 

Now the stage is set for an intense LAN showdown, which will take place from October 15th to 19th, 2025, in Malta. This year’s event features the defending champions The MongolZ, along with top contenders NAVI, FURIA, and Aurora, making it one of the strongest TWC lineups yet which will fight for a huge prize pool.

The 2025 Thunderpick World Championship Finals bring together a fascinating mix of elite contenders and hungry challengers. 4 of the world’s top-ranked CS2 teams arrive in Malta through direct invites, while 4 other squads earned their spots the hard way, battling through qualifiers.

The 4 directly invited esports teams bring star power, experience, and championship pedigree to the Thunderpick World Championship. MongolZ, NAVI, FURIA, and Aurora are all proven competitors capable of dominating the stage, and fans can expect high-level gameplay, strategic battles, and thrilling moments as these elite squads aim to assert their dominance in Malta.

The MongolZ Defending Their Crown

MongolZ return as defending champions after their stunning 2024 run when they shocked Heroic in the Grand Final. Their rise has been remarkable. After disbanding their CS:GO roster in late 2022, they came back in 2023 by signing the former IHC Esports lineup and quickly turned domestic dominance into international success. 

By late 2024 they had climbed from 45th to 9th in the HLTV rankings and earned more than 1.1 million dollars in prize money. Led by playmakers like Techno4k, mzinho, and Senzu, The MongolZ have built a reputation for tactical depth, creativity, and composure under pressure.

Now ranked 3rd in the world, they have proven their breakthrough was no fluke, although defending a title in Counter-Strike remains one of the toughest challenges.

NAVI Chasing Another Trophy

Natus Vincere (NAVI) hardly needs an introduction. The Ukrainian giants have been a cornerstone of Counter-Strike for more than a decade, winning Majors, lifting trophies, and building legacies. NAVI holds the record for most Major titles won in a row with 4 and remains the only organization to have participated in all 22 CS:GO and CS2 Majors. 

They have reached the playoffs 17 times, more than any other team and they also boast a record 6 Major final appearances. Their crowning achievement came at PGL Major Stockholm 2021, where they became the first team to win a Major without dropping a single map.

FURIA Ready to Break Through

FURIA arrive with momentum, once again proving themselves among Counter-Strike’s elite. Known for their aggressive style and passionate fan base, the Brazilians now look ready to finally break through. 

After a rocky CS2 transition, the core of yuurih, KSCERATO, saffee, and chelo under FalleN’s leadership has reestablished FURIA as a LAN playoff mainstay.

Recent highlights include top-four finishes at IEM Katowice, IEM Chengdu, and the BLAST.tv Austin Major, with a statement win over FaZe in a Major quarterfinal — one of Brazil’s biggest moments since the SK era.

Aurora Gaming Rising Fast

Aurora Gaming represents the new generation in Counter-Strike 2. The Russian organization has climbed into the top 5 in the world rankings by combining sharp mechanics with tactical structure and consistency. 

Their story took a major turn in early 2025 when they signed the entire Turkish team Eternal Fire, transforming Aurora from a regional contender into a top-tier organization and enabling them to compete in major tournaments.

The roster change was necessary as Eternal Fire struggled to secure sponsors in Turkey due to local anti-gambling laws, making Aurora a strategic home for the players to continue at the highest level. 

Since then, the team achieved a first-place finish at Skyesports Masters 2024 and a strong comeback at the BLAST Austin Major 2025.

These 4 qualifier teams bring unpredictability and excitement to the Thunderpick World Championship. While they may not have the star power of the direct invite squads, each team has proven they can compete under pressure and pull off surprises. 

Fans can expect fast-paced matches, clutch moments, and potential upsets as Imperial, OG, 9z, and Venom aim to make their mark in Malta.

Imperial Hungry After Qualifiers

Imperial were one of the standout teams in the qualifiers. They looked dominant from start to finish, cruising past TNL and then overcoming Legacy in a tense overtime battle. The way they controlled their matches makes them a dangerous side that no one can afford to overlook.

OG Proving Resilience

OG proved their resilience in the qualifying rounds. A commanding 2-0 over M80 set the tone and when BIG pushed them to a decider, OG responded emphatically. On the two maps they won, BIG barely scraped 6 rounds in total. Performances like that highlight just how high OG’s ceiling is when they are in form.

9z Bringing South American Flair

9z brought plenty of excitement to the qualifiers – after losing the opening map to BetBoom, they bounced back with two close victories before sweeping PARIVISION 2-0. Known for their fearless style, the South American squad arrives in Malta as dangerous underdogs capable of challenging any opponent. 

Founded in 2018 by a popular streamer, 9z has quickly risen to become one of South America’s top Counter-Strike teams.

Venom as the Dark Horse

Venom is the surprise package. Few expected them to qualify but they shocked Ninjas in Pyjamas in an overtime thriller and then dismantled Nemiga to book their place in Malta. With no pressure and nothing to lose, Venom are the wildcard of the esports tournament and could cause serious upsets.

The Thunderpick World Championship will feature 8 teams, divided into 2 groups. During the group stage, the teams will be split into 2 groups of 4, competing in a GSL-style double-elimination format.

All matches in this stage will be best-of-three. The top 2 teams from each group will advance to the playoffs. The playoffs will be a single-elimination bracket, with all matches also played as best-of-three.

The MongolZ are back to defend their title, a rare achievement in such high-level competition. With a strong lineup of top teams joining, the 2025 edition is set to be another exciting chapter in TWC history.

There have been a lot of exciting fairy tale stories in the tournament before – in 2023, FaZe Clan took home the title with Virtus.pro finishing second, while in 2024, The MongolZ lifted the trophy after defeating Heroic in the final.

Don’t miss a second of this exciting tournament and watch the matches on the official Twitch broadcast: GRID Esports Twitch Channel. Check out Thunderpick World Championship page for latest statistics and take a peek at the latest CS2 betting odds while you are at it.