Team Liquid Upsets FaZe Clan 16-14 in Counter-Strike Major Championship Final

Team Liquid pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Counter-Strike history on Monday night, defeating heavily favored FaZe Clan 16-14 in overtime to capture the IEM Katowice Major Championship at Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark, marking North America's first Major title since Cloud9's victory in 2018.

The American-Canadian roster, led by in-game leader FalleN and star AWPer s1mple, overcame a 13-9 deficit in regulation to force overtime before ultimately prevailing in the extra periods. The victory came in front of a raucous crowd of 20,000 fans and was watched by over 2.8 million viewers on Twitch, making it one of the most-watched Counter-Strike matches of all time.

"This feels incredible," said s1mple after hoisting the Major trophy. "We've worked so hard as a team this year, and to finally break through and win a Major, especially against FaZe who everyone thought would win easily, it's the best feeling in the world. This is for all our fans who believed in us when no one else did."

FaZe Clan entered the final as overwhelming favorites after dominating the tournament, dropping only two maps across six matches leading up to the championship. However, Liquid's tactical preparation and clutch performances in crucial rounds proved to be the difference, with rifler EliGE posting a tournament-high 1.31 rating in the final.

The decisive moment came in the second overtime period when FalleN hit a remarkable no-scope AWP shot through smoke to secure a crucial round that shifted momentum completely in Liquid's favor. The Brazilian veteran's leadership and experience were evident throughout the match as he made several key tactical adjustments that caught FaZe off guard.

The Major championship comes with a 00,000 first-place prize and 2,000 BLAST Premier points, positioning Team Liquid as strong contenders for the upcoming BLAST Premier Spring Finals. Their victory represents a resurgence for North American Counter-Strike and proves that with proper preparation and teamwork, any team can compete at the highest level of professional gaming.