As the first official Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) FISSURE Playground event, and the first significant LAN tournament following the player break, we are on the edge of our collective seats, waiting for the tournament to kick off in Belgrade, Serbia. After all, the FISSURE Playground 1 boasts a $1 million prize pool along with that beautiful CS2 action that we all know and love.
We’ve created a comprehensive guide to FISSURE Playground 1 to prepare you for the highly anticipated event. Our guide includes the tournament format, schedule, competing teams, and our expert betting predictions.
FISSURE Playground 1 Schedule & Format
FISSURE Playground 1 runs from July 15 to 20 and features two stages of competition. It begins with a Group Stage (July 15-17) that includes four double-elimination format GSL-style groups of four teams each. These matches are best-of-three and the top two teams from each group will advance to the Playoffs Stage.
The Playoffs Stage takes place from July 18 to 20 in front of a crowd at the Sava Center in Belgrade, Serbia. Eight teams will compete in a do-or-die single-elimination bracket. The Quarterfinals and Semifinals matches are best-of-three, and the Grand Final is best-of-five.
The event is organized by FISSURE, with BetBoom as the primary sponsor. Check out our CS2 esports section for precise match start times/dates in your time zone.
How To Watch FISSURE Playground 1
If you can’t make it to Serbia to cheer on your favorite team at the Sava Center, we have the next best option! You can enjoy all the FISSURE Playground 1 matches right here at Thunderpick. Best of all, you can take advantage of dozens of betting opportunities while watching teams compete.
Visit our CS2 betting section to check out all the available options. When the event kicks off, select the “Live” tab and pick a game you want to watch. An official live stream will appear alongside our bet slip, so that you can easily place in-play wagers.
Alternatively, you can stream the tournament live via the official FISSURE CS2 YouTube and Twitch channels.
Teams Competing In FISSURE Playground 1
With 16 strong CS2 esports teams competing, sparks are bound to fly. Teams were invited based on the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) May 25 update. On June 27, the tournament organizer officially revealed the full lineup.
- FURIA
- paiN Gaming
- Astralis
- Virtus.pro
- GamerLegion
- 3DMAX
- MIBR
- HEROIC
- Lynn Vision
- TYLOO
- Complexity
- BIG
- BetBoom Team
- Wildcard Gaming
- SAW
- Rare Atom
Our Predictions For FISSURE Playground 1
FISSURE Playground 1 is brimming with possibilities as the first event following the player break. A mysterious aura surrounds the event, as nine of the ten best teams in the world are not in attendance, with few feeling confident in their ability to predict who will emerge victorious. That makes FISSURE Playground 1 beyond exciting, so we’ve risen to the challenge. We considered ranking, matchup histories, recent performances, and the latest roster changes to make our predictions.
Important: These predictions reflect the perceived strength of teams based on historical trends and the latest available odds. This analysis should not be interpreted as betting advice. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes. Always gamble responsibly.
paiN Gaming
As one of the top-ranked teams (11th on HLTV) heading into the event, paiN Gaming has what it takes to go all the way. The squad made no changes during the player break. There’s a lot of confidence in paiN Gaming following their 3rd/4th place finish at the BLAST.tv Austin Major. It’s as simple as this: they’re playing on form, exciting to watch, and a worthy opponent to any CS2 squad.
paiN Gaming roster:
- Lucas “nqz” Soares
- João “snow” Vinicius
- David “dav1deuS” Tapia
- Franco “dgt” Garcia
- Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt (IGL)
- Henrique “rikz” Waku (Coach)
FURIA
Brazilian powerhouse FURIA is the only team from the HLTV top 10 in attendance, sitting in 9th place. During the player break on July 4, FURIA announced the signing of YEKINDAR, following the Latvian rifler’s stint as a stand-in.
Yes, we are predicting a Brazilian derby in the Grand Final of FISSURE Playground 1, with FURIA facing paiN Gaming. Can FURIA take their revenge after paiN Gaming eliminated them in the Quarterfinals of the Austin Major with a 2-1 reverse-sweep? We can’t wait to find out!
FURIA roster:
- Yuri “yuurih” Boian
- Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato
- Danil “molodoy” Golubenko
- Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis
- Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo (IGL)
- Sidnei “sidde” Macedo (Coach)
Astralis
While Astralis didn’t make it to the Austin Major, the squad has shown some promise recently. Ranked 12th place on HLTV’s World Rankings, Astralis has something to prove. The Danish team showed renewed form after parting ways with Casper “cadiaN” Møller, and adding HooXi as the new IGL.
They saw instant success following the roster move. At PGL Astana 2025, they earned a 2nd-place finish. Astralis demonstrated their ability to beat some of the biggest teams, including NAVI and Virtus.pro, falling just short of greatness against an on-form Team Spirit.
Astralis roster:
- Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz
- Victor “Staehr” Staehr
- Martin “stavn” Lund
- Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard
- Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen (IGL)
- Casper “ruggah” Due (Coach)
HEROIC
We can’t wait to see the new-look HEROIC in action. After an early exit during Stage 2 of the Austin Major, the organization made some changes. They brought in Danish coach TOBIZ from MOUZ NXT, acquired gr1ks from Astrum, and transitioned promising Swedish rifler nilo into a leading role. With these exciting roster changes, HEROIC could cause some upsets at FISSURE Playground 1 and possibly go all the way if the stars align.
HEROIC roster:
- Simon “yxngstxr” Boije
- Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich
- Linus “nilo” Bergman
- Gleb “gr1ks” Gazin
- Linus “LNZ” Holtäng (IGL)
- Tobias “TOBIZ” Theo (Coach)
Get Hype For FISSURE Playground 1
There’s much on the line for teams competing, including a massive prize pool and crucial VRS points to help them climb the global leaderboard. Will we see a Brazilian derby in the Grand Final? Will HEROIC’s roster moves pay dividends, or will another team surprise us? We can’t wait to find out!
At Thunderpick, we’re ready for FISSURE Playground 1, and all the action it brings. You can join us in the excitement by visiting our CS2 betting page, where you can start live-streaming and betting on every match with your preferred cryptocurrency.
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