The year’s second Counter-Strike 2 major starts in late November, finishing the 2024 season. What makes this tournament exciting, and which team has the best chance to win? Get all the details in this 1xBet overview.
History of the Counter-Strike majors
Since DreamHack Winter 2013, 20 Counter-Strike majors have been held: 19 in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and just one in the new Counter-Strike 2 (PGL Major Copenhagen 2024).
The teams with the most victories in the Valve Major Championships series are:
- Astralis – 4 wins (2017, 2018, twice in 2019)
- Fnatic – 3 wins (2013, twice in 2015)
- NAVI – 2 wins (2021, 2024)
Winning a major brings a team not only a substantial cash prize (the prize pool has been at least $1,000,000 since 2016) but also prestige, as it serves as undeniable proof of dominance on the global Counter-Strike stage.
The Chinese company Perfect World has been collaborating with Valve for several years, acting as the exclusive regional distributor for the developer’s games, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2. The partners have already held several major tournaments for Dota 2 in China, making the choice of organizer for the country’s first-ever Counter-Strike major obvious. The selection of the bookmaker company for betting on the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 is just as clear: it’s 1xBet, a reliable brand with a proven reputation.
Format of the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024
The participant line-up for the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 will be determined through a series of Regional Major Ranking (RMR) qualifiers taking place from mid to late October. The quotas are as follows:
- European RMR A (November 17-20) – 7 entries
- European RMR B (November 21-24) – 7 entries
- American RMR (November 12-15) – 7 entries
- Asia-Pacific RMR (November 11-13) – 3 entries
The Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 will occur from November 30 to December 15 in Shanghai, China. The tournament has a prize pool of $1,250,000, which will be distributed among 24 participants competing in three stages:
- Opening Stage (November 30 – December 3)
- Elimination Stage (December 5-8)
- Playoff Stage (December 12-15)
In the first two stages, 16 teams will compete in a Swiss format. Following each stage, the top 8 teams will advance to the next round, while the remaining 8 teams will be eliminated from the tournament.
The Playoff stage will take place at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center and will begin with the quarterfinals. At this stage, teams will have no margin for error, as the losing team will be eliminated from the tournament instead of dropping to the lower bracket.
Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 favorites
Any of the 8 teams that successfully advance from the Opening Stage and Elimination Stage can become the champion of the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. However, according to 1xBet experts, the highest chances of victory belong to the following trio:
- NAVI
The clear tournament favorite is the NAVI team, known for its well-coordinated roster and the tactical genius of coach Andrij “B1ad3” Ghorodensjkyj. Currently, it rightfully holds the top position in the Valve and HLTV rankings. Its achievements include a victory at the first major of the year, PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, as well as triumphs at the Esports World Cup 2024, ESL Pro League Season 20, and IEM Rio 2024.
- G2 Esports
If anyone can break NAVI’s dominance this season, it’s the second-ranked team, G2 Esports. The talented young sniper Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, alongside the experienced rifler Nikola “NiKo” Kovac, has repeatedly demonstrated their ability to compete on equal terms with NAVI, even defeating it in the final of the BLAST Premier: Fall Final 2024.
- Team Vitality
Rounding out the trio of favorites is French Team Vitality. This year, it has secured victory in only one major tournament, IEM Cologne 2024, where it defeated NAVI and could do so again. If the team’s leader, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, arrives at the major in top form, the Bees could become a serious championship contender.
Watch the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 and bet on your favorite Counter-Strike 2 teams with 1xBet!
