A premier Counter-Strike 2 tournament, the Thunderpick World Championship 2025, is set to begin on Wednesday, October 15, bringing together eight top teams to compete for a $340,000 prize pool. The Tier 1 competition will crown a champion on Sunday, October 19, following five days of intense esports action.
The winning team will claim the largest share of the prize money, taking home $200,000. The runner-up will receive $60,000, while the third and fourth-place teams earn $28,000 and $20,000, respectively. Teams placing fifth through eighth will each secure $8,000.
The championship features a challenging elimination format designed to test the participating teams. The majority of matches will be best-of-three series, culminating in a best-of-five final to determine the ultimate winner.
In the group stage, teams must win two matches to advance to the playoffs. A team is eliminated from the tournament if it loses two matches. The top two teams from each of the two groups will proceed to a single-elimination playoff bracket.
The eight participating teams are divided into two groups. Group A includes The MongolZ, FURIA, OG, and 9z Team. Group B features Aurora Gaming, Natus Vincere, Imperial Esports, and Team Venom.
Among the competitors, FURIA and Imperial Esports are representing Brazil on the global stage.
The opening day’s schedule includes four matches on Wednesday, October 15. FURIA will face OG at 8:30 UTC. The MongolZ will play 9z Team at 11:30 UTC. Imperial Esports is set to challenge Natus Vincere at 14:30 UTC, and Aurora Gaming will compete against Team Venom at 17:30 UTC.