CS2 Team Rankings: January 2025

The new year kicked off with significant changes in the Counter-Strike competitive landscape, as teams adapted to Valve's Regional Standings (VRS) system for tournament invites. The first major event after the winter break, BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals, set the tone for 2025, and Spirit emerged victorious to strengthen their position atop the rankings.

Key Events Shaping the Rankings

January featured a mix of premier and regional competitions, impacting team standings across all levels. Among the most notable:

BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals – A high-stakes event featuring 32 teams, culminating in a LAN final in Denmark.
IEM Katowice Play-in – The gateway to one of the year's biggest tournaments.
Regional LAN Events – Including XSE Pro League 2025, ZOWIE eXTREMELAND Asia Open, and ICE Invitational 2025.
Tier-Two Online Tournaments – Featuring Frost and Fire Season 1, CCT Season 2 Europe Series 16, and United21 League Season 25.

HLTV World Ranking by Explained

HLTV's world ranking system evaluates teams based on:

Achievements over the past year, with older results losing weight over time.
Recent Form from the last two months.
Performance in LAN Events over the past three months.

Teams must maintain a three-man core to retain ranking points, and while online events contribute, they have a reduced impact compared to LAN competitions.

Counter-Strike World Ranking (February 3, 2025)

Rank	Team	Achv	Form	LAN	Total Points	+/-
1	Spirit	500	200	300	1000	-
2	G2	335	90	172	597	-
3	Natus Vincere	378	77	124	579	-
4	Vitality	229	106	98	433	-
5	FaZe	188	99	115	402	+1
6	Eternal Fire	199	96	88	383	+7
7	MOUZ	173	65	118	356	-2
8	The MongolZ	127	124	75	326	-1
9	Liquid	112	91	53	256	-1
10	FURIA	102	84	67	253	-1

Eternal Fire Returns to Top 10 After Bounty Success

Following a disappointing end to 2024, Eternal Fire bounced back by bringing back Samet "jottAAA" Köklü, replacing Buğra "Calyx" Arkın. This strategic move paid off, as the team secured a spot in the BLAST Bounty Finals, where they upset G2 and Vitality en route to a runner-up finish. This result propelled them back into the top six, equaling their highest-ever ranking from September 2024.

Spirit Cements No. 1 Spot

Spirit continued their dominance, adding another trophy to their cabinet at BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals. Their stellar performance against HEROIC and NAVI in Copenhagen ensured they remained firmly at the top, despite missing coach Sergey "hally" Shavaev. The tournament's MVP, Danil "donk" Kryshkovets, once again showcased why he is one of the best young talents in CS2.

The ranking gap widened, with Spirit maxing out at 1000 points, while G2 (597 points) and NAVI (579 points) suffered declines due to roster changes and past events dropping off the ranking calculation.

BetBoom, Virtus.pro, HEROIC Make Gains

BetBoom – Benefited from strong showings by Kirill "Boombl4" Mikhailov and Sergey "Ax1Le" Rykhtorov, climbing eight spots.
Virtus.pro – Found their footing with Denis "electroNic" Sharipov as IGL, reaching the Katowice Main Event.
HEROIC – Revamped roster featuring former Sangal players helped them leap 12 spots after solid performances in BLAST Bounty and Katowice Play-in.

Conclusion

The start of 2025 has reshaped the competitive landscape, with Spirit solidifying their place at the top and Eternal Fire, BetBoom, and HEROIC making notable strides. With IEM Katowice 2025 around the corner, expect more shake-ups in the rankings. Stay tuned to Swap.gg for the latest updates in the Counter-Strike scene!