The 2025 season marked the fifth iteration of the Call of Duty League (CDL), and far from showing signs of franchise fatigue, it delivered the most electrifying and statistically successful year to date. Played on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, this season will be remembered not just for its major upsets and competitive depth, but for an astonishing narrative of dominance, mid-season collapse, and an improbable championship redemption that ultimately shattered previous viewership records for the franchised era.
While the return to online qualifiers brought the expected chaos and celebrated several underdog victories, the core story of 2025 centered around three titans: the relentless Atlanta FaZe, the rising Los Angeles Thieves, and the historically dominant OpTic Texas, whose early performance suggested an unprecedented fall from grace.
The Initial Reign of Atlanta FaZe
Fresh off a victory at the 2024 Esports World Cup, Atlanta FaZe entered 2025 as the undeniable powerhouse. Despite a sluggish start in the online qualifiers for Major 1, stumbling against Toronto Ultra and Los Angeles Thieves, the team rapidly calibrated. Their journey culminated in Madrid, marking the franchise’s first competitive return to continental Europe in eight years.
FaZe, the sixth seed, swept their way through the upper bracket, dispatching Boston Breach and Toronto Ultra with clinical 3-0 scorelines. The Major 1 Grand Final pitted them against Los Angeles Thieves in a gripping best-of-seven series. In a match so close it felt engineered for maximum cardiac stress, FaZe clinched a nail-biting 4-3 victory, sealing the win with a decisive 6-5 Search and Destroy finish.
This momentum was not coincidental. Carrying their Major 1 success into the second LAN in Allen, Texas, FaZe continued their march, securing the second seed. While Vancouver Surge briefly posed a threat in the upper bracket final, FaZe’s experience prevailed. The Grand Final rematch proved to be a stark difference from Major 1’s battle; Atlanta FaZe delivered a commanding 4-0 sweep against Vancouver Surge, securing their second consecutive Major title and establishing an early, frightening dominance over the league.
The Second Half: Los Angeles Thieves Takes the Lead
Atlanta FaZe’s reign, while impressive, was challenged by the consistency of the Los Angeles Thieves (LAT). Having narrowly missed the Major 1 title and secured a top-four finish at Major 2, LAT spent the first half of the season laying a robust foundation for a championship run. Their preparation paid off handsomely in the latter half of the season.
LAT topped the Major 3 online qualifiers with a 4-1 record. In Boca Raton, Florida, they mirrored FaZe’s earlier success, sweeping Carolina Royal Ravens and Miami Heretics. Once again facing Vancouver Surge in the upper bracket final, LAT earned their spot in the Grand Final. The Thieves left no doubt in the final match, executing a cold, calculated 4-0 sweep against Surge to claim their first Black Ops 6 Major title.
The momentum continued into Major 4. After another strong qualifier performance, LAT secured their third Grand Final appearance, ultimately defeating their co-leading rivals (likely Atlanta FaZe, based on context) with a 4-2 victory, tying the record for the most Major wins in the regular season. The Thieves were peaking precisely when it mattered most. However, in a cruel twist of competitive fate, this stellar performance failed to transfer to the CDL Championship, where consecutive shocking defeats resulted in a dismal top-12 finish, ending a solid season on a truly sub-optimal note.
OpTic Texas: The Crisis and the Catalyst
For the defending CDL Champions, OpTic Texas, the 2025 season began with high expectations but quickly devolved into one of the most volatile periods in the organization’s history. Despite a strong online qualifying run for Major 1 (6-1), the “Green Wall” crumbled on LAN, resulting in a shocking top-eight exit.
What followed was an organizational nightmare defined by rapid, desperate roster shuffling. Cuyler ‘**Huke**’ Garland was swapped out for Amer ‘**Pred**’ Zulbeari, a move that delivered turbulence instead of stability. The team plummeted to a 1-6 record in Major 2 qualifiers, including a humiliating run of 18 consecutive map losses. The franchise, accustomed to the peak, was suddenly fighting relegation fears.
After Major 2 saw another top-eight finish, the revolving door spun again. Kenny ‘**Kenny**’ Williams departed, Cesar ‘**Skyz**’ Bueno was brought in, only to be followed by another major shakeup: Pred left, and Huke returned. Despite this apparent instability, the team managed to claw their way to a Major 3 appearance, only to be summarily swept 3-0 by Atlanta FaZe.
Then came the unlikely pivot. During Major 3, the rookie substitute for Toronto Ultra, Mason ‘**Mercules**’ Ramsey, caught the attention of the league with a debut performance that propelled Ultra to a top-three finish. On May 6th, OpTic Texas—desperate to avoid the first missed Champs appearance in CDL history—signed Mercules in place of Skyz.
The Mercules Effect and Unprecedented Redemption
The acquisition of Mercules was not just a roster change; it was an activation of dormant potential. The impact was instantaneous. OpTic Texas secured a third seed for Major 4, earning their first top-four finish of the season—a significant step up from their continuous top-eight placements.
Entering the season-ending CDL Championship as the seventh seed, OpTic Texas was viewed as a dark horse, but one capable of generating an upset. What transpired was not an upset, but a masterclass in championship focus. The Green Wall swept aside Atlanta FaZe, Toronto Ultra, and Boston Breach with chilling efficiency to book their place in the Grand Final.
Facing Vancouver Surge, a team familiar with second place, OpTic Texas was playing for history. Defying all statistical probability generated by their earlier season struggles—and successfully navigating the chaos of three major roster changes—OpTic Texas won the series 5-3, successfully defending their CDL Championship title against insurmountable odds. The synergy between Mercules and Anthony ‘**Shotzzy**’ Cuevas-Castro provided the superior slaying ability the team had desperately sought.
OpTic Texas solidified their status by later dominating the Esports World Cup under the OpTic Gaming banner, delivering another ruthless 4-0 sweep against Vancouver Surge, closing out Black Ops 6 as the undisputed champions.
Looking Ahead: The Call of Duty League Moves Into Black Ops 7
The 2025-2026 off-season brought about a sobering realization: through rebrandings and relocations, none of the 12 original 2020 CDL franchises remained. As the league pivots to Black Ops 7, competitive structure changes continue, notably replacing Control with the brand-new game mode, Overload.
The foundation laid in 2025—a competitive, high-stakes environment culminating in a record-breaking championship—sets a formidable precedent. Heading into the new season, OpTic Texas has retained their championship form, starting the Major 1 qualifiers with an unblemished 3-0 record. With franchise rosters closer than ever and a new competitive title stabilizing the experience, the sixth Call of Duty League season is poised to be one of its most fiercely competitive, ensuring the upward trajectory of viewership and competitive caliber continues.
