Team Liquid Dominates Counter-Strike Major Championship with Flawless Grand Final Victory

Team Liquid capped off one of the most dominant Counter-Strike Major Championship runs in recent memory on Friday night, sweeping FaZe Clan 2-0 in the grand final at PGL Major Copenhagen to claim their first Major title since 2019. The North American powerhouse completed a perfect 16-0 map record throughout the tournament, becoming only the fourth team in Counter-Strike history to win a Major without dropping a single map.

The grand final showcased everything that has made Team Liquid so formidable throughout this tournament, with Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski and Keith "NAF" Markovic delivering clutch performances when their team needed them most. EliGE finished the series with a tournament-high 1.31 rating, while NAF contributed crucial multi-kill rounds that swung momentum decisively in Liquids favor. Their chemistry and coordination were evident throughout both maps, with perfectly timed executions that left FaZe struggling to find answers.

The first map on Ancient saw Team Liquid establish early dominance with a commanding 11-4 lead on their CT side before closing out the map 16-9. FaZe Clan, led by Finn "karrigan" Andersen, managed to string together several rounds in the second half but could never mount the sustained pressure needed to threaten Liquids advantage. Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken was particularly effective on Ancient, posting a 1.42 rating and consistently winning crucial duels that allowed his team to maintain map control.

The second map on Mirage proved even more one-sided, with Team Liquid racing to a 16-6 victory that left the Copenhagen crowd stunned by the clinical efficiency of their performance. The map featured perhaps the most impressive individual round of the entire tournament when NAF secured a 1v3 clutch in an anti-eco situation, single-handedly extending Liquids lead and breaking FaZe Clans economy for the remainder of the map.

For Team Liquid, this Major championship represents the culmination of years of near-misses and rebuilding efforts that began following their disappointing early exit from the previous Major. In-game leader Nick "nitr0" Cannella, who returned to competitive Counter-Strike after a stint in VALORANT, has transformed the teams strategic approach and created the structured environment that allowed their individual talents to flourish. The championship also validates the organizations decision to invest heavily in their Counter-Strike division despite the growing popularity of other esports titles.

The $500,000 first-place prize and Major championship status positions Team Liquid as the favorites heading into the upcoming ESL Pro League season and sets up potential superfights against European powerhouses like Natus Vincere and G2 Esports. With their confidence at an all-time high and their tactical system clicking on all cylinders, this Team Liquid squad appears poised to challenge for multiple championships throughout 2026 and establish themselves as the new standard-bearers for North American Counter-Strike on the global stage.