From April 21st to 27th, Melbourne, Australia will host IEM Melbourne 2025, a LAN tournament in Counter-Strike 2 with a prize pool of $300,000. Despite the inconvenient time zone for European viewers, this tournament promises to be a stage for compelling storylines. Unlike the recent PGL Bucharest 2025, IEM Melbourne 2025 will see the participation of most tier-1 teams.
With only a month and a half remaining until the major BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, every match at IEM Melbourne will serve as crucial preparation for the most significant event of the first half of the year. For dedicated fans, sleep might be a luxury during this tournament. Let`s delve into the favorites and teams to watch at this event.
Fans of Falcons have eagerly anticipated the arrival of Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, and the reunion with Nikola “NiKo” Kovač has finally materialized. This transfer wasn`t solely due to financial incentives from Falcons, but also due to the inability of Janusz “Snax” Pogorzelski and Wiktor “TaZ” Wojtas to establish effective team play.
Predictions of victory and the potential to challenge Team Vitality, who have been dominant in early 2025, are already circulating for Falcons. However, expecting immediate extraordinary results in their first tournament together might be premature. Falcons have been placed in a challenging group alongside NAVI, Vitality, Virtus.pro, and Liquid. Progressing through this group will require NiKo and m0NESY to showcase their prime form. For now, even reaching the playoffs would be a significant achievement for the team. But this is just the beginning.
Virtus.pro has shown consistent improvement, moving from 9th-11th place at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, to 7th-8th at BLAST Open Lisbon 2025, and then to top 5-8 at PGL Bucharest 2025. Following this trend, a semi-final appearance at IEM Melbourne 2025 is a reasonable expectation. At the previous championship, Denis “electroNic” Sharipov`s team demonstrated their ability to defeat teams like Liquid and Astralis, although inconsistency remains a factor.
Virtus.pro still needs to achieve greater stability to fully realize their potential. Adding to the challenge, they face a tough bracket at IEM Melbourne, potentially facing Team Vitality in their second match. Similar to Falcons, reaching the playoffs would be a success for Virtus.pro. However, unlike the newly formed Falcons, Virtus.pro has had ample time to integrate and should be aiming for tangible results.
Team Vitality, the dominant force in the professional scene in 2025, will also be competing. After their victory at BLAST Open Lisbon 2025, they took a break, skipping PGL Bucharest 2025. This decision was strategic, as at IEM Melbourne, they will be competing not only for the $300,000 first-place prize but also for the ESL Grand Slam. A win here would solidify Vitality`s era of dominance, and frankly, few teams seem capable of stopping Dan “apEX” Madesclaire`s squad.
The finals of BLAST Open Lisbon 2025 and ESL Pro League Season 21 featured battles between Vitality and MOUZ, suggesting a similar outcome for IEM Melbourne. Currently, these two teams are a step ahead of their competitors. When every player on a team demonstrates exceptional individual skill, it indicates a perfectly structured roster.
Natus Vincere will also return from a mini-break, seeking to improve their recent results. The current NAVI roster is not just competing for prize money but also for the chance to keep this lineup together, as coach Andrey “B1ad3” Gorodenskiy has hinted at potential roster changes. However, there haven`t been significant shifts to guarantee improved results.
Only two tournaments remain before the major: IEM Melbourne 2025 and PGL Astana 2025. NAVI`s performance in these events will directly influence expectations for Austin. Based on recent performances, marked by inconsistencies from w0nderful and uncertainty from iM, a playoff appearance seems like the most realistic outcome for NAVI. Reaching the final appears unlikely.
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IEM Melbourne 2025 matches will be held on LAN in Australia from April 21st to 27th. Sixteen teams will compete for a $300,000 prize pool.