After a thrilling group stage, the CS Asia Championship 2025 playoff phase has commenced in Shanghai, China. Six teams from across Europe, Asia, and the Americas have emerged from a field of 16, each aiming to capture the trophy before attention turns to the StarLadder Budapest Major.
Six teams advanced through two double-elimination GSL group stages in this year’s playoff bracket. Under the system, each group champion will qualify directly to the semi-final, while the second and third-placed teams qualify for the quarter-finals.
Fnatic
After winning a recent title with Fragadelphia Blocktober, Fnatic made a smart roster change after loaning Mykyta ‘jackasmo’ Skyba and replacing Cai ‘CYPHER’ Watson, which went on to Major qualification. The move got mixed reactions, but the squad’s performances were steady as they beat paiN Gaming and TYLOO to make the upper bracket final. Fnatic had a very close loss to HEROIC. Therefore, the side begins their playoff journey in the quarter-finals against 3DMAX.
HEROIC
After a dismal performance in ESL Pro League Season 22 excluded them from the Major, HEROIC is now looking to end the year on a high note. The team won against B8, FUT Esports, and Fnatic to top Group B and secure a place in the semi-finals. The quarterfinal between Legacy and FUT Esports will reveal their next opponents.
Team Liquid
Team Liquid has struggled throughout the season, but Jonathan “ELiGE” Jablonowski’s return has already made an impact. Team Spirit achieved a 13-9 win over GamerLegion, followed by a 2-0 victory over MIB, which helped them book a playoff spot. After that, they carried this momentum to a reverse over Legacy, finishing atop of Group A and punching their place in the semi-finals, where they will await the winner of Fnatic vs 3DMAX.
Legacy
Since its impressive debut at the BLASTVtv Austin Major, Legacy has maintained its strong international form. The team kicked off their campaign with a crushing 13-2 victory and then edged out 3DMAX. Though Legacy suffered a defeat to Team Liquid despite taking the first map, they nonetheless finished with the second seed and a quarter-final matchup against FUT Esports.
FUT Esports
After a roster overhaul in May, FUT Esports continues to show confidence. The quarter-finals saw them beat FaZe Clan, but they subsequently lost to HEROIC and dropped down to the lower bracket. FUT Esports bagged the final playoff spot after beating the Red Militia 2-1 on the back of Dmytro ‘dem0n’ Myroshnychenko, doing so after a convincing win over paiN Gaming. They will face Legacy in the quarter-finals.
3DMAX
3DMAX got the last playoff spot because they were the highest-ranked team there. The French side started strong with a dominant performance against The Huns Esports, but Legacy sent them to the lower bracket. A quick victory by Lynn Vision Gaming secured a showdown against Virtus.pro. After a very close series, 3DMAX won and will face Fnatic in the quarter-finals.
Upcoming Playoff Matches
Now that the group stage is done, it is time for the knockout stages. The playoff matchups are.
- Fnatic vs 3DMAX.
- Legacy vs FUT Esports.
- Team Liquid versus Fnatic or 3DMAX.
- HEROIC versus Legacy or FUT Esports.
PGL’s Twitch and YouTube channels will livestream the playoff action for fans to watch. All teams are ready to do everything possible to win the CS Asia Championship title.