IEM Chengdu 2025 preview: The road to the Major heats up

IEM Chengdu 2025 is the penultimate Tier 1 Counter-Strike occasion of 2025. For a number of of the world’s finest groups, the match is one other alternative to compete on LAN earlier than consideration turns to the StarLadder Budapest Main. 

Sixteen groups from August’s Valve Regional Standings (VRS) have accepted invites to compete in China from November third to ninth, 2025. With a crowd current from the Group Stage, groups will probably be thrust straight into the limelight because the battle for a playoff place begins.

With 9 of the highest 10 groups from October’s VRS in motion, IEM Chengdu 2025 is shaping as much as be one of the aggressive occasions of the 12 months thus far. The likes of Workforce Vitality, FURIA and Workforce Spirit have an opportunity to stamp their authority on the prime of the Tier 1 scene forward of the Main. 

Victory for Workforce Vitality would add one other notable accolade to its ever-expanding trophy cupboard, together with a 3rd contribution to its ESL Grand Slam marketing campaign. The French organisation begins its marketing campaign with a match towards Virtus.pro.

FURIA’s robust second half of the 12 months has moved the multinational group among the many world’s finest, placing it in a wonderful place to contend for tournaments commonly along with being thought of as a possible Main winner. 

Workforce Spirit hasn’t been in motion since scoring a top-eight end at ESL Professional League Season 22. After a brief break, the group is all the time within the dialog for outright victory, particularly with Danil ‘donk’ Kryshkovets excelling with a rifle in hand.

Workforce Falcons stays a pressure to be reckoned with in worldwide Counter-Strike. Having positioned no decrease than fourth in 2025, and the pairing of Ilya ‘M0NESY’ Osipov and Maksim ‘kyousuke’ Lukin starting to synergise, the Saudi organisation is constructing in direction of securing its first occasion win since April.

With a number of groups able to lifting the trophy, there are additionally a handful of groups able to flying beneath the radar and inflicting an upset. 

After securing a playoff place at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, HEROIC seems decided to finish the 12 months on a excessive be aware after narrowly lacking out on Main qualification. Even after a number of roster adjustments, the Norwegian organisation continues to discover a approach of competing on the prime. 

The Chinese language sides of Lynn Imaginative and prescient Gaming and TYLOO are not any strangers with regards to springing a shock towards the established names. With the area persevering with to cement its place alongside Europe and North America, there’s an opportunity the pair can impress in entrance of their dwelling crowd.

After topping the October VRS, The MongolZ had cemented its place among the many world’s finest groups following victory on the Esports World Cup and ending runner-up to Workforce Vitality on the BLAST.television Austin Main. 

Forward of Chengdu, the group made the shock resolution to bench Azbayar ‘Senzu’ Munkhbold from the beginning lineup, leaving it looking for a brand new addition in a bid to maintain maintain of its prime spot. 

Chengdu will mark the debut of Unudelger ‘controlez’ Baasanjargal, a rifler armed with a wealth of expertise. Nonetheless, it stays to be seen whether or not controlez possesses the identical degree of firepower as Senzu, who was thought of The MongolZ’s finest participant in its most up-to-date match outings. 

With restricted time to combine controlez into the beginning lineup, will probably be fascinating to see whether or not The MongolZ will proceed its positive run of type or wrestle to make it out of a bunch that includes Workforce Falcons and Workforce Spirit.

Of the 16 groups competing within the Group Stage, solely six will advance to the Playoffs for a chance to raise the trophy and win the lion’s share of the prize pool. 

Group A seems to be an thrilling prospect with Workforce Falcons and Workforce Spirit seeking to construct some pre-Main momentum. Primarily based on latest type, HEROIC may trigger an upset towards a new-look MongolZ, opening the door for Astralis or NAVI to make a run. 

On the opposite facet of the bracket, it’s a good nearer contest with Workforce Vitality, FURIA, 3DMAX, G2 Esports, MOUZ, and FaZe Clan all able to besting one another on any given day. 

Regardless of lacking out on outright victory all year long, MOUZ’s consistency makes it exhausting to rule the group out of one other playoff look.

IEM Chengdu 2025 Predicted Playoff Groups: Workforce Falcons, Workforce Spirit, NAVI, Workforce Vitality, FURIA, MOUZ