“We all know this is the last ESL Impact Final, and we wanted to give it our everything.”
After duking it out against top Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) teams at the ESL Impact Season 8 Finals 2025 during DreamHack Stockholm 2025, BIG EQUIPA players took home the gold. The players lifted the trophy on stage as gold confetti fell and the audience erupted in cheers. Following the celebration, esports.gg interviewed Emma "Emmsan" Mattsson about her journey to the top and what the victory means to her and her team.
BIG EQUIPA players win ESL Impact Season 8 Finals
In her interview with esports.gg, Emmsan said the victory means everything to her, adding that it represents the dreams of every girl who competes in the game. She also noted that a standout moment was their comeback on the final map. After falling behind early on, BIG EQUIPA rallied round by round. Every player stepped up when it mattered the most.
"Personally, it means literally the world," Emmsan said. "This is what every girl playing Counter Strike dreams of. And I can't believe that we did it. And we did it so beautifully. It was just so amazing."
Emmsan continued, sharing that BIG EQUIPA spent weeks preparing for the ESL Impact Season 8 Finals. They gave it their all during practice and in the live matches, even doing an intense bootcamp leading up to the tournament. And despite facing sickness and fatigue, they all pushed through.
"We have been spending so much time practicing coming up to this final. We all know this is the last ESL Impact Final, and we wanted to give it our everything," she said. "And we for sure did. Just look at the results. It's insane. We've been practicing every day. We were in a bootcamp before this LAN, and we were all sick last week when we came to Stockholm. But we still managed to show up because we know this is what we wanted."
Emmsan then gave a shoutout to her parents, grandparents, and boyfriend, who were all in the crowd to support her. She also stressed how hard the team worked for this victory. And by giving it their all and never giving up, they truly deserved the win.
"I just want to say that we worked so hard for this, and I really think that we deserve this," Emmsan said. "We did everything in our power to do this and just never give up."
The last ESL Impact Finals and the future of CS2 esports
What makes BIG EQUIPA's victory especially meaningful is that it comes during a time of uncertainty for women in CS2 esports. Earlier this year, ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) suspended the ESL Impact circuit to re-evaluate how it supports the scene.
According to a statement from EFG to esports.gg, EFG ESL Impact succeeded in its mission to elevate the women's scene, but the current economic model isn't sustainable. However, diversity and inclusion do remain as core values. Therefore, there are plans to explore sustainable initiatives. EFG also recognized the accomplishments of the players, teams, and fans before thanking them for their dedication.
"We have made the difficult decision to suspend the ESL Impact circuit, as we take the time to re-evaluate how we can best support the women's Counter-Strike community. ESL Impact succeeded in its mission to elevate the women's scene, but despite significant investment, the current economic model is not sustainable in its present form. Our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive esports ecosystem remains a core value for EFG, so we will use this time to explore new, sustainable initiatives that will better align with our long-term vision. We are immensely proud of everything the players, teams, and fans have accomplished with ESL Impact, and we thank them for their dedication."
While we don't know what exactly is next for women in CS2 esports, we do know that since its inaugural season, it has showcased the talent and grit of the players, and BIG EQUIPA's ESL Impact Season 8 Finals victory is only the beginning.
That's all for now. Stick around on esports.gg for more CS2 news, interviews, and updates.
