Next CS2 Major: 2026 Tournament Schedule

A CS2 Major Championship is the highest tier of competitive Counter-Strike tournament. These events are directly sponsored and sanctioned by Valve, the developer of Counter-Strike 2, and carry prize pools of $1,250,000 or more. Majors have been a cornerstone of the Counter-Strike esports ecosystem since the first Major in 2013.

What separates Majors from other premier-level tournaments is Valve's direct involvement. Valve provides the prize pool funding, establishes the format rules, and sells exclusive in-game sticker capsules featuring competing teams and players. Revenue from those sticker sales is shared with the participating organizations and players, making Majors one of the most lucrative events in esports.

Majors also serve as the definitive ranking benchmark for CS2 teams. A Major title is widely considered the most prestigious achievement in competitive Counter-Strike, and Major victories carry enormous weight when evaluating a team's legacy. You can browse current pro teams and pro player settings on the wiki.

Valve typically announces Major details several months before the event. Because schedules, host cities, and exact dates can change or be announced at any time, always verify the latest information on HLTV.org or the official Counter-Strike website.

Historically, Valve has held two Majors per year -- one in the spring and one in the fall. Host cities rotate globally, with previous Majors taking place in cities like Copenhagen, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Antwerp, and Stockholm. Each Major is run by a third-party tournament organizer (such as PGL, ESL, or BLAST) selected by Valve.

When a Major is officially announced, Valve publishes the host city, venue, dates, tournament organizer, and format details. Keep an eye on the Counter-Strike blog and HLTV's event page for confirmed announcements. If specific 2026 dates have not yet been confirmed at the time you are reading this, check those sources for the most current information.

Beyond the Majors, the CS2 competitive calendar is packed with premier and tier-one events throughout the year. Major tournament organizers like ESL, BLAST, and PGL each run their own circuits that feed into the broader competitive ecosystem.

Key annual events and series to watch include the BLAST Premier circuit (Spring and Fall seasons plus the World Final), IEM (Intel Extreme Masters) events hosted by ESL in various cities, and PGL-organized tournaments. These events feature top-tier teams competing for substantial prize pools and crucial ranking points.

The tournament calendar typically intensifies around Major qualifying periods, when Regional Major Ranking (RMR) events determine which teams earn spots at the next Major. Between RMR events and the Majors themselves, there is rarely a month without significant professional CS2 competition. For the most accurate and up-to-date schedule, HLTV's events page maintains a comprehensive calendar of all upcoming tournaments.

Qualifying for a CS2 Major is a multi-stage process designed to ensure the best teams in every region have a path to the championship. The system revolves around Regional Major Rankings (RMR) events.

Before each Major, Valve designates RMR tournaments for each competitive region -- typically Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Teams earn RMR points by performing well in qualifying tournaments throughout the season. The top teams from each region based on accumulated RMR points receive invitations to the Major.

The Major itself uses a three-stage format. The Challengers Stage features the lowest-seeded qualifying teams battling in a Swiss-system bracket. Teams that advance move to the Legends Stage, where they face higher-seeded squads who earned direct entry based on prior Major performance. Finally, the top teams from the Legends Stage compete in the Champions Stage -- a single-elimination playoff bracket that determines the Major champion.

Teams that place well at one Major can earn "Legends" status, granting them a direct invitation to the Legends Stage of the following Major. This rewards consistency and gives top teams a meaningful advantage in the qualification structure.

CS2 Majors are broadcast across multiple platforms to reach the widest possible audience. The primary streams are hosted on Twitch and YouTube, with the tournament organizer running the official broadcast. Additional language streams cover dozens of languages for international viewers.

HLTV provides live match pages with scoreboards, statistics, and embedded streams for every Major match. It is the go-to destination for following results in real time even if you cannot watch the video feed.

You can also watch Major matches directly inside Counter-Strike 2 using GOTV. This in-game spectating system lets you control the camera freely, watch from any player's perspective, and experience the match with full game audio. GOTV is especially popular for fans who want a more immersive viewing experience. For a full breakdown of every viewing option, see our guide on where to watch CS2 esports.