● French team Karmine Korp claimed the RLCS Birmingham Major trophy after a dominant grand final display against North America’s The Ultimates
● All eyes now turn to September’s BLAST Premier London Open when esports and Counter-Strike returns to the UK’s capital
The RLCS 2025 Birmingham Major reached a thrilling conclusion last night, with French powerhouse Karmine Corp dominating the competition to claim their first Major of the season in historic fashion.
In front of a passionate crowd at the bp pulse LIVE Arena, Karmine Corp delivered a flawless 4-0 victory over The Ultimates in the grand final – marking the first-ever clean sweep in an RLCS Major final. The landmark win also featured standout performances across the board, including a first MVP title for dralii in his debut event with the organisation following his off-season move from BDS.
The victory marks Karmine Corp’s third Major title for superstar Vatira, and the first career trophy for rising talent Atow – a powerful signal of the team’s depth and ambition heading into the rest of the season.
The tournament saw Karmine Corp go unbeaten through the Swiss stage with commanding wins over Twisted Minds, FURIA, and NRG, before dispatching NRG once again in the upper-bracket quarter-finals. A lightning-fast 4-0 sweep of FURIA in the semi-finals set the tone for an emphatic finals performance – and a $102,000 share of the $351,000 prize pool.
The RLCS Birmingham Major was the first of two major UK-based esports events taking place in 2025 as part of a strategic partnership between BLAST and Live Nation, in collaboration with local and national stakeholders.
Next up, esports returns to the capital this September for the BLAST Premier London Open at OVO Arena Wembley (September 5-7), where the world’s best Counter-Strike teams will battle it out in front of thousands of fans. Tickets will go on sale later this week, as London prepares to once again take centre stage in the global esports calendar.
For more information and ticket details can be found on ticketmaster.co.uk.
The RLCS Birmingham Major event was delivered alongside Solihull Council, British Esports Federation, NEC Group, West Midlands Growth Company, and the University of Warwick, with funding support from the West Midlands Combined Authority and UK Government through the Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund.
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