Counter-Strike's biggest tournament is also its least predictable. The best team in the world does not always win a Major, and sometimes it does not even make the playoffs. These are the upsets people still talk about.
Gambit at Kraków 2017
PGL Major Kraków 2017, played in July, produced the first Major champion from Asia and the CIS. Gambit Esports, made up mostly of players from Kazakhstan, had a rough 2017, and according to Dust2.in this was the only S-tier event they won all year.
They started with a 3-0 run in the group stage, beating G2, mousesports, and Virtus.pro. In the playoffs they swept Fnatic 2-0 in the quarterfinal, then knocked out Astralis, the defending champions, in the semifinal. In the final they beat Immortals 2-1. Wikipedia credits them as the first Asian and CIS team to win a Major.
Cloud9 at Boston 2018
At the ELEAGUE Major in Boston in January 2018, FaZe Clan came in as the favorites. Cloud9 came in as a roster few believed could win. They opened with a 3-0 Challengers Stage, beating EnvyUs, Sprout, and mousesports, then pulled off two playoff upsets over G2 Esports and SK Gaming.
The final against FaZe went to a third map, and Cloud9 won it in double overtime. It remains the only Major won by a North American roster, and they were only the second North American team to reach a Major final, after Team Liquid in 2016.
Outsiders at Rio 2022
IEM Rio Major 2022, the first Major held in Brazil, has been called the Major of Madness, and the result earns the name. Outsiders were the Virtus.pro roster, competing under that name after the invasion of Ukraine. HLTV's own power rankings had them 13th at the event.
They beat fnatic and MOUZ in the playoffs and then swept Heroic 2-0 in the final, 16-12 on Mirage and 16-5 on Overpass. Dzhami "Jame" Ali was named MVP, and it was the first Major title for all five players. They collected $500,000 and moved to the top of HLTV's rankings for the first time.
The same tournament punished the favorites. The defending champions FaZe and Ninjas in Pyjamas finished 15th to 16th, and both finalists were teams that had never won a Major.
The Finalists Who Almost Did It
Some upset runs ended one step short, usually against a dynasty.
- ENCE reached the final of IEM Katowice 2019. Astralis beat them, and according to Dust2.in did not drop a single map in the playoffs.
- AVANGAR reached the final at Berlin 2019, where Astralis won again.
- GamerLegion reached the Paris 2023 final after upsetting Heroic, and lost to Vitality.
- The MongolZ reached the Austin 2025 final and lost 2-1 to Vitality after leading.
- FURIA reached their first Major final at Cologne 2026, and Falcons swept them 3-0.
What They Have in Common
There is no single formula, but a few patterns show up. Several of these teams had weak results coming in and were not on anyone's shortlist. Several won key matches in best-of-three series, where one map can swing everything. And in the Swiss stages, a single bad best-of-one can end a favorite's run before the playoffs.
That is analysis, not a rule, but it fits what the results show. Majors are long, but they are also decided by a small number of high-pressure series.
Why It Matters for Singapore
The PGL Major in Singapore starts in late November, and these stories are a useful reminder. If you are making predictions, whether in Pick'Em or just with friends, favorites lose more often at Majors than the rankings suggest. Leave room for chaos.
Keep the History Close
Knowing the stories of past Majors makes every new one more interesting. The mini games on CS Guess test that kind of knowledge, covering prices, rarity, and the history behind this game, with free perks for playing well.
Head over to CS Guess and see how much of this game's history you know.
