- Map pool
- Seven maps for Premier and Valve Majors.
- Change
- Cache replaced Overpass at the start of Season 5.
- Map selection
- Teams pick four maps; the game randomly selects one.
- Medal
- You need an account in good standing, 25 Premier wins during the season, and an active CS Rating at the end of the season.
Which maps are currently in the CS2 Premier and Active Duty pools?
As of October 2, 2026, Active Duty has seven maps. This is the pool used in Premier and Valve tournaments, including Majors. If you play this mode or watch these events, here’s the map list to know.
- Ancient
- Anubis
- Cache
- Dust II
- Inferno
- Mirage
- Nuke
Cache joined the pool at the start of Premier Season 5, while Overpass was removed. A map being available in another mode doesn’t mean it’s part of Active Duty: Competitive, Casual, and Wingman all include maps outside this pool.
How the pool changed: from Train to Cache’s return
The pool changed four times across Premier Seasons 2, 3, 4, and 5. Each change coincided with the start of a season.
| Date | Premier season | Added | Removed |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 28, 2025 | Season 2 | Train | Vertigo |
| July 16, 2025 | Season 3 | Overpass | Anubis |
| January 21, 2026 | Season 4 | Anubis | Train |
| July 8, 2026 | Season 5 | Cache | Overpass |
Anubis returned in Season 4 with gameplay tweaks. The next swap happened on July 8, 2026: Cache returned to CS2 on April 28, 2026, appearing in Competitive, Casual, Deathmatch, and Retakes. It joined Active Duty on July 8, 2026, while Overpass was removed from the pool on the same day.
Valve doesn’t explain why a particular map is removed from the pool.
How map selection works in CS2 Premier
Since September 22, 2026, teams no longer remove maps until only one remains. Instead, they put together a pool of four maps, and the game randomly selects the match map. Here’s how the process works.
- First teamPicks one map.
- Second teamPicks two maps.
- First team againPicks one more map.
- GameThe game randomly picks one of the four, and the match begins.
Previously, the teams took turns removing maps until only one remained. Now, a team’s pick gives a map a chance to be played, but doesn’t guarantee it will be selected.
Valve says the change is meant to give players who have spent a long time learning a map a chance to play on it.
Premier seasons and medal requirements
Premier Season 2 began on January 28, 2025, Season 3 on July 16, 2025, Season 4 on January 21, 2026, and Season 5 on July 8, 2026. The map pool changed with each season.
What you need to earn the seasonal medal
Your active CS Rating is checked at the end of the season, while your medal color is based on the highest rating you reached during the season.
- Your account must be in good standing.
- You need 25 Premier wins during the season.
- You must have an active CS Rating at the end of the season.
Medal stripes are based on wins: you earn one for every 25 wins, up to a maximum of five.
What happened to map-specific ranks?
In January 2026, map-specific ranks in Competitive were reset. They appear again after you earn enough wins. These ranks are separate from your Premier CS Rating: you need an active Premier rating to earn the seasonal medal.
Other changes to official maps and game modes
Replacing Overpass with Cache isn’t the only change for players. Season 5 introduced a new way to calculate C4 damage, map guides were added to Competitive matches earlier, and the community map pool was updated in other modes.
How C4’s blast now spreads
As of July 8, 2026, C4 blast damage on all official bomb-defusal maps is calculated using a shockwave. It spreads out from the bomb, is blocked by corners, and can’t pass through walls. The health bar shows in advance how much health you’ll have left after the explosion.
How to open map guides
Since March 18, 2026, map guides have also been available in Competitive matches. You can open them from the pause menu during the first five rounds of a half. Each guide can contain up to 30 points. Official starter guides are available for every Active Duty map, and more can be found in the Steam Workshop.
Which community maps were added to other modes?
The community map pool was also updated on July 8, 2026.
| Maps | Available in |
|---|---|
| Boulder, Fachwerk, Shelter | Competitive, Casual, and Deathmatch |
| Debris, El Dorado | Wingman |
Warden, Stronghold, Alpine, and Sanctum were also removed from all modes.
Frequently asked questions
Which maps are currently in the CS2 pool?
Active Duty includes Ancient, Anubis, Cache, Dust II, Inferno, Mirage, and Nuke. Premier and Valve tournaments, including Majors, are played on these seven maps.
When did Cache return to CS2?
Cache returned to CS2 on April 28, 2026, for Competitive, Casual, Deathmatch, and Retakes. It joined the Active Duty map pool on July 8, 2026, at the start of Premier Season 5. Overpass left the pool the same day.
How is the map selected in Premier?
The first team picks one map, the second team picks two, and then the first team picks one more. The game randomly selects the match map from these four. This process has been in effect since September 22, 2026.
Why was Overpass removed?
Valve hasn’t stated why Overpass was removed from Active Duty. The only confirmed detail is that Cache took its place on July 8, 2026.
