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Spirit and NAVI must prove themselves in Kazakhstan: Preview PGL Astana 2025
The next big CS2 tournament is here. PGL Astana 2025 will run from May 10 to May 18 and will be the first top-level CS event ever held in Kazakhstan. It has a big prize pool of $1,250,000 and will bring together many strong teams. But it’s also missing some of the biggest names.
Tournament format
Group Stage (May 10–14)
- 16-team Swiss System format
- All matches are Bo3
- Top 8 teams advance to the playoffs
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Playoffs (May 16–18)
- Single-elimination bracket
- All matches are Bo3, except the Grand Final, which is Bo5
Missing giants
Three of the top four teams in the world right now — Vitality, Falcons, and MOUZ — will not play at this event. That weakens the level of competition slightly, even though NAVI, Spirit, Aurora, and The MongolZ will be there. This gives many other teams a rare chance to fight for a deep run. Here are the matches of the first day in Astana:
Odds are provided by Stake and are up to date at the time of publication.
NIP’s big opportunity
For Ninjas in Pyjamas, this tournament is very important. NIP are trying to return to the top level of CS2, and this event could help them get there. Recently, they climbed into the top 40 of the Valve ranking, which lets them receive invites to small and medium online events. But to earn invites to bigger events, they need a strong result here.
If NIP make it to the playoffs, it could change their whole year. They’ve been practicing hard, and with some big teams missing, this is their best chance so far to grab wins and prove themselves.
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paiN look for redemption
paiN Gaming had a rough time at BLAST Rivals. It was their first tournament with the new roster, and things didn’t go well. Their captain was sick, and the team had very little time to prepare.
Now, they’ve had more time to train. Their new player, Franco "dgt" Garcia, already showed some good signs. If they play better here, they could reach playoffs — and that would be a big success for the strongest South American lineup in their history.
What to expect from Astralis?
Some players were even asked to take pay cuts. It’s hard to stay motivated in this situation. Still, for the players, this is a chance to prove themselves and earn new offers. This is also Astralis’ last tournament of the season, so they’ll want to leave a good mark on the Valve ranking.
Spirit and NAVI: Favorites with flaws
Spirit and NAVI are the biggest names at this event and clear favorites to win. But both teams have problems that haven’t been fixed yet. Spirit have star players like Danil "donk" Kryshkovets and Dmitriy "sh1ro" Sokolov, and NAVI still have a strong core, but neither team has been consistent lately.
People are already talking about possible roster changes in both teams. Even with that, they should still make the final here if they play to their potential. This is also a chance for them to prove that they are still top contenders — even if they are just behind the big three.
Still, don’t be surprised if a team like The MongolZ surprises them and knocks them out early. Both Spirit and NAVI should be treating this as a warm-up before the next Major in the USA, so focus might not be 100%.
donk wins MVP of PGL Astana 2025
Eyes on FURIA
FURIA will be playing with a new lineup, including a young AWPer Danil "molodoy" Golubenko making his debut. He’s from Kazakhstan, so this will be a special event for him.
Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo has passed the AWP role to this rookie, while Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis is back after months away. With so many changes, nobody knows what to expect from FURIA. Their roster is still finding its rhythm, and we’ll be watching closely to see if they can click on the server.
Playoff dreamers
Teams like Aurora, The MongolZ, and GamerLegion are not favorites, but they are definitely dangerous. All three have had some success this season and have shown they can compete at times.
For Aurora, this tournament is a last chance. They talked earlier this year about winning a trophy, and they’ve accepted many invites — but haven’t delivered yet. They’ve had a month of rest and now need to show their best form.
The MongolZ are always dangerous with their aggressive style, and GamerLegion have the talent to surprise if they show up prepared.
Final thoughts
PGL Astana 2025 is not the strongest event of the year, but it’s still a very important one. With Vitality, Falcons, and MOUZ missing, it’s a golden opportunity for teams like Spirit, NAVI, and NIP to make a deep run.
For NIP, this could be the start of their return to tier 1. For Spirit and NAVI, it’s a test to see if they’re still elite. For teams like Aurora and paiN, this might be their best — or last — chance to shine this season.
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