HLTV Confirmed - Counter-Strike Podcast

2025 wrap-up, Top 20 explained, and expectations for 2026: this and more in this episode of HLTV Confirmed!

➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed
📺 Watch live: https://twitch.tv/HLTVorg
🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv

🟢 Partner offer details: https://kick.com/hltvorg/about

🔺 Play smarter with Refrag: https://in.refrag.gg/FUCZNJ

🔫 Support Esports with 10% bonus from Skin.Club: https://l.skin.club/HLTVCONFIRMED

0:00 - Intro
3:00 - Top Comment
9:29 - EYEBALLERS win over FaZe

HLTV Awards & 2025
11:24 - Awards impressions
18:02 - Top 20 list
20:10 - donk vs. ZywOo
24:01 - Critique of Top 20
38:15 - Skinionaire: 2025 wrap
54:46 - VRS in 2025
1:01:22 - “2025 is a roaring success” - Striker
1:05:28 - State of the game

2026: Season ahead
1:09:22 - Off-season changes
1:10:50 - ECSTATIC, 9INE, paiN
1:12:25 - ash, NIP, Astralis -Magisk
1:16:00 - GL bench ztr, add Snax
1:18:52 - BC.Game, M80
1:22:01 - Spirit change
1:29:09 - magixx as IGL
1:31:17 - Falcons no changes
1:34:30 - Aurora -jottAAA +soulfly
1:36:02 - BC.Game SAW coer
1:42:02 - PARIVISION
1:44:11 - cobrazera joins MongolZ
1:45:20 - Mail09, Astrlais international
1:48:37 - TaZ BC.game, 100T
1:51:02 - messioso 300IQ
1:54:02 - Fluxo, blameF to BIG
1:57:21 - WATO: Vitality don’t win BLAST Bonty
2:03:25 - WATO: top 10 team to change?
2:11:41 - WATO: 2025 is NiKo last top 20

Time Capsule
2:20:20 - Team of the season?
2:22:35 - Major MVP?
2:23:19 - Best change?
2:24:54 - Team to change?
2:26:40 - Breakout of the season?
2:29:24 - Disaster of the season?
2:30:49 - Retirement of the season?

👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop

HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike.

https://x.com/SPUNJ
https://x.com/Professeur_CS
https://x.com/StrikerHLTVorg
https://x.com/LukasWiinholt

HLTV Confirmed went live from Belgrade the morning after HLTV Awards featuring Vitality's apEX and flameZ to talk about their successful 2025 that ended with the team receiving a plethora of awards, and plans for 2026.

➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed
📺 Watch live: https://twitch.tv/HLTVorg
🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv

🟢 Partner offer details: https://kick.com/hltvorg/about

🔺 Play smarter with Refrag: https://in.refrag.gg/FUCZNJ

🔫 Support Esports with 10% bonus from Skin.Club: https://l.skin.club/HLTVCONFIRMED

0:00 - Intro
1:23 - Awards party
5:10 - Vitality best year?
9:12 - Pressure & expectations
12:34 - "We take most time off" - Vitality
18:42 - Most important wins
22:16 - No more changes?
24:22 - apEX on Spinx about to leave
27:27 - Are MOUZ a threat?
31:20 - 2026 Vitality events
46:51 - Anubis is back
52:30 - "Let's give our best all the time" - apEX
53:42 - Top Comment

👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop

HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike.

https://x.com/Vitality_apEX
https://x.com/flamezcsgo
https://x.com/luismmira
https://x.com/SPUNJ
https://x.com/LukasWiinholt

Vitality win Budapest Major: first impressions straight after the final, including the era talk, FaZe story hijack, the arena impressions, NAVI and MOUZ rumored changes, and some insight on donk vs. ZywOo race.

➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed
📺 Watch live: https://twitch.tv/HLTVorg
🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv

🟢 Partner offer details: https://kick.com/hltvorg/about

🔺 Play smarter with Refrag: https://in.refrag.gg/FUCZNJ

🔫 Support Esports with 10% bonus from Skin.Club: https://l.skin.club/HLTVCONFIRMED

0:00 - Intro
3:41 - FaZe-Vitality final
9:52 - FaZe no changes
12:30 - donk's post
13:08 - Vitality era?
18:15 - Map change
19:29 - FaZe underdog story
20:47 - Aura & no aura teams
23:05 - FaZe standing
24:19 - jcobb step up
27:52 - "FaZe run" Major
29:00 - Team of the Year
33:24 - FaZe: changes or not?
36:57 - NAVI: exam passed or failed?
39:25 - Aleksib's last NAVI game?
45:32 - MOUZ "need a change"
47:19 - Jimmi out?
49:02 - Snax to GamerLegion
52:11 - Top Comment
54:45 - NiKo: will he win a Major?
58:08 - Skinionaire
1:07:17 - Arena impressions
1:12:02 - Biggest arena ever?
1:13:19 - Security issues
1:15:09 - The merch sale problem
1:17:02 - "StarLadder beat expectations"
1:22:34 - Vitality vs. Astralis era
1:26:42 - ZywOo vs. donk for #1

👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop

HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike.

https://x.com/SPUNJ
https://x.com/Professeur_CS
https://x.com/StrikerHLTVorg
https://x.com/LukasWiinholt

Budapest Major playoff bracket set... and it's stacked! Reviewing all the winners and losers of Stage 3, as well as trying to predict the run of the playoffs with Falcons, Spirit, Vitality, MongolZ, FURIA, NAVI, MOUZ, and FaZe battling for the title. In other news, Singapore Major announcements and early hints of roster changes.

➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed
📺 Watch live: https://twitch.tv/HLTVorg
🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv

🟢 Partner offer details: https://kick.com/hltvorg/about

🔺 Play smarter with Refrag: https://in.refrag.gg/FUCZNJ

🔫 Support Esports with 10% bonus from Skin.Club: https://l.skin.club/HLTVCONFIRMED

0:00 - Intro

Whip around
8:14 - PGL Singapore 2026
10:21 - “Shift [to Asia] by Valve” - SPUNJ
14:53 - Future Majors leaked?!
17:00 - Wishes for Major
18:04 - NIP: -ewjerks +cairne?
20:02 - Thinking VRS during… the Major?!
23:16 - HLTV interview drought
29:15 - 5 out of top 15 to change?!
33:45 - Valve prize money cap?
39:52 - Top comment
47:51 - Skinionaire (by SPUNJ!)

Stage 3: winners & losers
1:03:48 - B8: VRS surge
1:09:30 - Passion UA: above expectations
1:12:10 - Imperial: try future?
1:13:48 - PARIVISION: VRS vindicated
1:17:18 - G2: disappointment
1:22:37 - Liquid: nothing working
1:30:45 - paiN: changes looming
1:32:00 - 3DMAX: playstyle issue?

Playoffs
1:39:25 - JUICY PLAYOFFS
1:45:02 - 4 quarters, 4 stomps?
1:47:03 - Most stacked bracket ever?!
1:52:58 - WATO? First Major winners
2:00:08 - Playoffs Pick’Ems!
2:03:00 - donk: bad vs. Falcons?
2:08:35 - Spirit vs. Falcons
2:13:49 - Vitality vs. The MongolZ
2:20:20 - FURIA vs. NAVI
2:25:36 - MOUZ vs. FaZe
2:36:21 - Semi-finals & Grand Final

👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop

HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike.

https://x.com/SPUNJ
https://x.com/Professeur_CS
https://x.com/StrikerHLTVorg
https://x.com/LukasWiinholt

As Stage 2 neared completion, we continued to talk about key Budapest Major results: Aurora eliminated early, FaZe bounce back with 3-0 performance, NAVI are through swiftly, PARIVISION continue their dream run, and more!

➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed
📺 Watch live: https://twitch.tv/HLTVorg
🔊 Listen to audio (Spotify, iTunes, Google): https://anchor.fm/hltv

🟢 Partner offer details: https://kick.com/hltvorg/about

🔺 Play smarter with Refrag: https://in.refrag.gg/FUCZNJ

🔫 Support Esports with 10% bonus from Skin.Club: https://l.skin.club/HLTVCONFIRMED

0:00 - Intro
2:03 - SPUNJ’s morning hair routine
4:27 - npl’s hit on Pimp

Recent news
6:29 - BLAST Bounty VRS invites
11:55 - EPL changes - LAN, ESEA
17:48 - DH Knockout - Monte win
24:31 - Skinionaire: Women’s scene
29:52 - ESL Impact concludes
35:36 - Refrag: Striker mode leaderboard
40:00 - SPUNJ’s knife round tip

Budapest Major Stage 2 & 3
40:55 - Top comment
42:34 - Humiliation ritual & horrible music
48:41 - Lake IS in favor of BO1!
51:12 - Abolish stages?! Major format
1:00:39 - FlyQuest hero to zero
1:05:50 - FaZe 3-0: still lacking?
1:12:02 - Twistzz’s voice in FaZe
1:15:34 - jcobbb & “donk delusion”
1:19:29 - NAVI: playoffs contender?
1:24:46 - Region slot for Cologne
1:30:51 - Aurora disaster
1:35:58 - Aurora to change: but who?!
1:38:05 - B8
1:41:38 - Imperial
1:45:50 - MIBR
1:47:28 - PARIVISION
1:50:40 - WATO: Stage 3 openes
1:58:23 - 2-2 Stage 2
2:07:30 - JT Mirage streak

👕 HLTV Merch: https://hltv.org/shop

HLTV Confirmed is a Counter-Strike (CS2) talk show featuring Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill, Zvonimir "Professeur" Burazin, and Milan "Striker" Švejda, with guest appearances from community members such as s1mple, device, ropz, Twistzz, karrigan, smooya, dupreeh, cadiaN, Pimp, and more. The show is based around interviews, breakdowns, analysis, and discussions about the esports and casual side of Counter-Strike.

https://x.com/SPUNJ
https://x.com/Professeur_CS
https://x.com/StrikerHLTVorg
https://x.com/LukasWiinholt