The Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) competitive scene is set to receive a significant boost in 2025 with the addition of two new high-stakes tournaments hosted by United Arab Emirates-based organizer YaLLa Esports.
Following the success of their $400,000 YaLLa Compass event earlier this year, YaLLa Esports has announced plans to host two “S-tier” events in 2025, each featuring a $1.5 million prize pool. This exciting development adds more prestige and competition to an already packed CS2 calendar for the upcoming year.
YaLLa Esports’ Major Announcements
The upcoming YaLLa Compass events will be a major highlight in the CS2 competitive calendar. Scheduled to take place across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the first tournament is set for April 15 to 20, while the second will occur towards the end of the year.
Open qualifiers for the first YaLLa Compass tournament will begin at the end of this month. YaLLa Esports plans to invite additional teams based on Valve’s official world rankings, ensuring a highly competitive lineup.
Previous Success
The success of the YaLLa Compass earlier this year, which saw The MongolZ and Ninjas in Pyjamas clash in the grand finals with The MongolZ taking home $200,000, set the stage for these upcoming events.
The substantial increase in the prize pool to $1.5 million underscores YaLLa Esports’ commitment to elevating the competitive scene in the MENA region and providing more opportunities for top-tier CS2 competition.
The 2025 CS2 Tournament Calendar
The CS2 calendar for 2025 is already brimming with events, offering numerous opportunities for teams and players to showcase their skills on the international stage. According to HLTV.org, there are 25 LAN tournaments scheduled for next year, reflecting a significant expansion of the competitive landscape.
Breakdown of Major Tournaments
Here is a comprehensive list of all the CS2 tournaments taking place in 2025:
- January 13 to 26: BLAST tournament
- January 29 to February 9: ESL tournament
- February 10 to 24: PGL tournament
- February 25 to March 16: ESL tournament
- March 17 to 30: BLAST tournament
- March 31 to April 14: PGL tournament
- April 15 to 20: YaLLa Compass tournament
- April 21 to 27: ESL tournament
- April 28 to May 4: BLAST tournament
- May 3 to 19: PGL tournament
- May 19 to 25: ESL tournament
- May 26 to June 1: StarLadder tournament
- June 9 to 22: First Major of 2025
- July 23 to August 3: ESL tournament
- August 4 to 17: BLAST tournament
- August 20 to 24: ESL tournament
- August 25 to September 7: BLAST tournament
- September 12 to 21: StarLadder tournament
- September 23 to October 12: ESL tournament
- September 29 to October 13: PGL tournament
- To be defined: YaLLa Compass tournament
- October 18 to November 3: PGL tournament
- November 3 to 9: ESL tournament
- November 10 to 16: BLAST tournament
- December 1 to 14: Second Major of 2025
Open Ecosystem
This extensive schedule follows Valve’s directive for ESL and BLAST to shut down their partnership programs and move towards an open ecosystem.
This shift has provided other tournament organizers like PGL, StarLadder, and YaLLa Esports the opportunity to increase their presence in the CS2 competitive scene, contributing to a more diverse and dynamic tournament landscape.
Conclusion
The addition of two new YaLLa Compass tournaments in 2025, each with a $1.5 million prize pool, marks a significant milestone for the CS2 competitive scene.
As the CS2 calendar becomes increasingly packed with high-stakes events, players and fans alike can look forward to an exciting year of intense competition and exceptional gameplay. With the open ecosystem encouraging more organizers to host events, the future of CS2 esports looks brighter than ever.