Valve has finally released the slot distribution for the first stage of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. Although this decision was supposed to be made public back in July, it was delayed, leaving a " tbd " note in the regulations — which has now been removed. Interestingly, despite the delay, the slot distribution turned out to be exactly the same as it was for the first stage of last year's Major in Austin .

In July, Valve had already approved the invite distribution for Stage 2 and Stage 3: everything was clearly outlined in the updated version of the regulations. However, Stage 1 remained unresolved — the document prominently displayed the note tbd . This created confusion among teams: how to plan their preparation if it's unclear how many slots each region will receive?

Official Slot Distribution
According to the latest update of the regulations, Stage 1 of the Budapest Major will have the same invite distribution as in Austin :

Europe — 6 slots
America — 6 slots
Asia — 4 slots
As for the following stages, the situation remains unchanged:

Stage 2:

Europe — 5 slots
America — 2 slots
Asia — 1 slot

Stage 3:

Europe — 5 slots
America — 2 slots
Asia — 1 slot

This update, although not revolutionary, is of great importance for Tier-2 and Tier-3 teams. Stage 1 is their chance to break into the Major system and make a name for themselves on the global stage. Clear slot distribution allows organizations to plan their preparation, budgets, and rosters.