Ninjas in Pyjamas are finally back on track. They won the closed qualifier for PGL Astana 2025, which is the best event they could qualify for to get back into top-tier Counter-Strike. This is a huge win for the team, especially after starting the year with a completely new lineup and zero Valve ranking points.

NIP had to start from the bottom. They went through the open qualifier, one of four, and won it. That alone is impressive, but then they also won the entire closed qualifier, beating stronger opponents. They didn’t follow the popular method of buying an already ranked lineup — instead, they took the hard path. They built a new team from scratch and started climbing up themselves.

Climbing the ladder without shortcuts

Since they had no ranking or invites, NIP tried to get into events like CCT using stand-ins like Audric "JACKZ" Jug to get wildcard spots. But these tricks never worked as the team was not able to reach the main stage of the CCT events. Most of the time, they just had to grind through open qualifiers again and again.

They tried this for PGL Bucharest, BLAST Rising, and others. Sometimes they made it to closed qualifiers, but never made it to the main event. Until now.

Now, NIP will play on LAN at PGL Astana 2025, one of the biggest tournaments of the season. This event is their best shot to get a lot of Valve ranking points and finally receive invites to future events.

The long road through qualifiers

NIP made it to the closed stage by winning the European Open Qualifier #4. It wasn’t an easy road — they had already failed in the first three qualifiers and were running out of chances. But in the fourth one, they finally made it through, even though they didn’t have to face any notable teams along the way.

Then came the closed qualifier, where NIP looked way more confident. They didn’t drop a single map until the grand final. On their way, they beat Passion UA, JANO, and fnatic twice, and then B8 — a solid lineup of tier-2 European teams.

The grand final was something special. They played against Metizport, a team that had a bunch of former NIP players — Hampus "hampus" Poser, Adam "adamb" Ångström, Isak "isak" Fahlén, Nicolas "Plopski" Gonzalez, and coach Ahmed "abdi" Abdi. It was a full best-of-five series, and it went the distance. In the end, NIP came out on top, winning 3:2 and locking in their spot at PGL Astana 2025. 

Why PGL Astana 2025 is the perfect event

There are many reasons why this is the best tournament for NIP right now:

• $1,250,000 prize pool. Even the team that finishes last gets $12,500. That’s a lot of value for a rebuilding team.
• Just qualifying gave NIP a boost of ~80 spots in the Valve rankings. From the bottom, they moved up to around 70th place in the world. That opens doors to some closed qualifiers.
• If they do well at the main event, they can move even higher. Every win counts for extra prize money and extra points.

Fewer big teams = more chances

Vitality and MOUZ, two of the strongest teams in the world, are skipping this event. That’s good news for teams like NIP. Yes, Spirit and NAVI will be there, but losing Vitality and MOUZ makes the bracket less stacked.

Also, NIP's current lineup is better than their ranking shows. They might be the lowest-seeded team at the event, but they are stronger on paper than teams like BIG, M80, and MIBR. They can even give paiN or FURIA a real challenge. And if they face HOTU or ODDIK, NIP should be the clear favorite. That means NIP is very likely to win at least one or two matches. Those wins will push their ranking higher and give them a better standing in the scene.

Opponents may be distracted

Another thing helping NIP: some teams might not be fully focused. Five teams will play both PGL Astana and IEM Dallas, which starts just one day after the Astana final:

• Aurora
• G2
• FURIA
• GamerLegion
• The MongolZ

If these teams make the semifinals in Astana, they miss the start of IEM Dallas. So they’ll either be distracted trying to manage both events or might even play worse to finish early. That gives NIP an edge. They are only focused on this one tournament and can go all-in to get the best result possible.

ESL officially addressed the travel conflict between PGL Astana 2025 and IEM Dallas 2025. Originally, teams weren’t expected to play both events due to tight scheduling, but after teams proposed detailed travel plans, ESL agreed to allow it. However, if teams reach the Top 4 in Astana, they’ll arrive in Dallas only hours before their first match on May 19. ESL will fine those teams $4,000 and deduct 5% of prize money for missing media days. Delays could still lead to forfeits, as teams must be ready 50 minutes before their game starts.

NIP’s big shot at a comeback

This tournament is everything for NIP. If they perform well, they will jump up in the rankings and get invited to more closed qualifiers and even direct invites. These ranking points last for six months, and one strong showing can be enough to stabilize the team’s position on the tier-1 scene. Expect NIP to prepare harder than ever and go all out at PGL Astana 2025. This is their chance to prove they still belong at the top.