Game updates come and go, maps and weapons get rebalanced, and new stars rise, but one thing has stayed constant: for over two decades, Counter-Strike has stood as one of the most iconic and popular esports games in the world. Few games elevate entire teams to the status of role models for young gamers, and Counter-Strike is a rare standout. Whether it’s Fnatic’s classic lineup, which mastered the fundamental game mechanics with remarkable precision, or Astralis setting the gold standard for teamwork, every fan finds their favorite team through their own lens.
Last year was filled with captivating stories, from Team Falcons’ journey with Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyljev and the shocking breakup of Cloud9’s powerhouse roster to the unexpected revival of 3DMAX. Yet, none of these teams claimed the top spot in viewer popularity for 2024. Together with our partner VOdds, Esports Charts reveals the top 5 most-watched CS teams of the year.
#5 — Team Vitality
Team Vitality, a French esports organization, may be a newcomer by industry standards, having launched in late 2018. Yet it wasted no time making its mark on the CS scene. By early 2023, Vitality had solidified its position as one of the world’s top teams, driven by the exceptional talent of Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut, hailed as one of the best riflers and snipers in the game for years.
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Not too long ago, Team Vitality was in contention for the title of the world’s best team, with ZywOo challenging s1mple as the game’s best player. However, 2024 brought an intensifying level of competition, pushing the star-studded roster slightly out of the spotlight. Despite this, the team had a strong season overall: they rarely placed outside the top 3-4 in tournaments, reached the playoffs in both Majors of the year, and claimed victory at one of the year’s most prestigious events, the iconic IEM Cologne 2024.
Vitality continues to rank as one of Europe’s most popular teams, admired for a level of consistency that many top 30 squads can only aspire to. An early exit at IEM Katowice 2024, where they were eliminated after back-to-back losses, held them back. Additionally, securing a top 4 finish in just a couple more tier-S tournaments could have significantly improved their ranking. Even so, the team delivered an impressive season, standing out not just for their competitive results but also for their strong audience metrics.
#4 — Team Spirit
Team Spirit was arguably the most explosive team in Counter-Strike last year. While the club's CS division was formed in 2016, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that the team truly made waves, reaching a Major semifinal. After a somewhat subdued 2023 (which had its fair share of titles, but no major triumphs), last year the team announced itself in a big way, and the driving force behind their success was Danil "donk" Kryshkovets.
Donk joined the team in the summer of 2023 and quickly proved to be a game-changer, delivering firepower that rivals even the prime days of s1mple and ZywOo. The team took six months to find its footing with the new roster, and their breakthrough moment came with a victory at IEM Katowice 2024. This marked donk’s first “Big Event” win, as classified by HLTV, and he stunned everyone with an extraordinary 1.70 HLTV rating. Following this achievement, Team Spirit began attracting a much broader audience, extending far beyond the hardcore fans of the organization.
Katowice was just the beginning, as the team went on to secure several more titles and podium finishes at top-tier events. The team’s crowning achievement of the year, however, came with a triumphant victory at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024. Donk not only claimed the title of the youngest Major MVP in Counter-Strike history but also set a record as the highest-rated MVP ever.
Although the team had its most successful season to date, it wasn’t without missteps, which ultimately kept Spirit from climbing higher in the rankings. Perhaps the most disappointing moment was their early exit from IEM Cologne, where they were eliminated after just two matches.
#3 — FaZe Clan
FaZe Clan has faced its fair share of challenges recently, but through all the management issues, one area remains unaffected: Counter-Strike. Under the leadership of legendary captain, 34-year-old Finn "karrigan" Andersen, the team has consistently been a top contender. Their enduring legacy and loyal fan base, built over years of iconic moments and karrigan’s leadership, remain the driving force behind their success. Combined with their heroic showings at Majors in 2024, these factors helped FaZe secure a high position in the rankings.
In 2024, FaZe’s only significant win came at IEM Chengdu, while they failed to reach even the semifinals at most other tournaments. Yet, it was at Majors where the team truly showed their potential, making it to the finals in both events. Unfortunately, they fell short in both: losing to NAVI in Copenhagen and suffering a gut-wrenching defeat to Team Spirit in Shanghai, where the world witnessed karrigan’s emotional reaction.
FaZe Clan may not always maintain short-term consistency, but they’ve proven to be a force in the long run. When they stumble, it’s rarely sooner than expected, and that’s one of the team’s defining strengths. Over the years, the team has won the hearts and minds of thousands of fans, and they’re still doing so today. No need for a long list of titles: this team can rank among the top three most popular Counter-Strike teams worldwide even without them.
#2 — G2 Esports
G2 Esports stands out in Counter-Strike for its consistent evolution, with roster changes being a regular part of its story without impacting the team's ever-growing popularity. In fact, these shifts often help fuel the team's rise in prominence. Few top CS teams can boast such resilience and continued fan support despite frequent player rotations.
G2 Esports owes much of its global support to its exceptional fan engagement on social media and the internet, as well as its diverse roster. This strong presence extends well beyond Western Europe, attracting fans from all over the world. A prime example is Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov, who is widely recognized as one of the best players and the top AWPer in the scene. And of course, one can't forget about Nikola "NiKo" Kovac, for whom this year served as a sort of "last dance" with G2, as he joined Falcons in early 2025.
However, G2’s success isn’t solely due to the meme culture and the fame of their players; they've also delivered impressive results on the tournament stage. While they couldn’t replicate the success of 2023, when they clinched both major Intel Extreme Masters titles in Katowice and Cologne, they still managed to secure notable victories in 2024, particularly at BLAST Premier events.
The team also made it to the semifinals of both Majors and secured second place at the Esports World Cup. G2 has clearly become more consistent, avoiding the early-stage eliminations that plagued them in the past. This stability contributed to their strong performance in hours of watch time, reflecting their growing presence in the competitive scene.
#1 — Natus Vincere
It’s possible to pull off impressive highlights and win top events, but that alone isn't enough to dethrone Natus Vincere from its title of the most popular Counter-Strike team in the world, a position they’ve held for several years. Critics of the team often claimed their success relied solely on s1mple, but 2024 proved otherwise: the team's overall approach to the game, rather than individual talent, is what truly sets them apart.
2024 marked the team’s first full year without s1mple since 2016. And the results? Incredible. The past year turned out to be one of the most successful in the club's Counter-Strike history: quite the achievement given their long-standing legacy in the game.
Under the guidance of coach Andrij "B1ad3" Ghorodensjkyj and captain Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen, the team started their journey with a surprising victory at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024. Many in the community thought it was a fluke and expected a string of defeats to follow, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. From mid-summer to fall, the team put on an extraordinary performance, finishing 1st or 2nd in six out of seven tournaments. Their remarkable run included wins at the Esports World Cup, ESL Pro League Season 20, and a second-place finish at IEM Cologne 2024.
While the team's season ended on a bit of a down note, their outstanding performance throughout the year was more than enough to claim the top spot as the world’s most popular CS team. However, 2025 promises to be even more thrilling, as the gap between 1st and 2nd place in viewership wasn’t as wide as expected. It looks like it’s going to be an exciting year ahead.
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