Valeriy "L3rich" Kharitonov, the owner of Aurora Gaming, recently stirred up excitement in the esports community by posting a mysterious message on Telegram. In the post, he shared an intriguing image featuring five flags, each representing a country associated with both past and upcoming Majors.
The timing of this cryptic message is particularly notable, as it was unveiled just 10 minutes after the official announcement of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 on May 12. Following the Hungarian flag in the image sequence are flags of Germany and Serbia, leading to speculation that ESL's annual event in Cologne could potentially be the inaugural Major of 2026. This subtle hint from Aurora's owner has sparked widespread speculation about the possible location of the upcoming winter Major.
Looking ahead, it appears that the dates for both Majors in 2026 have already been finalized well in advance. The first tournament is scheduled to run from June 8 to 21, followed by the second event from November 30 to December 13. These revelations have added an extra layer of anticipation and excitement for esports fans eagerly awaiting the next series of prestigious competitions.
In a related development, StarLadder had previously announced its plans to host the second Major of 2025 in Budapest later this year. With tickets already becoming available for purchase, the anticipation surrounding this upcoming tournament is steadily building. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting esports event.
