Bucharest, Romania - August 27, 2024 - PGL is thrilled to announce the locations, dates, and details for the upcoming CS2 Ranked tournaments for the 2025-2026 seasons. With an exciting lineup of events, we are eager to bring the best of CS2 to many countries around the planet.
A New Era for CS2 Events
In a significant development, PGL is pleased to announce that the CS2 competitive landscape has evolved, embracing a more open and inclusive approach. PGL is committed to hosting all its tournaments fully transparently and complying with Valve’s new licensing rules. This change marks a pivotal moment in esports, democratizing event organization and fostering a more vibrant and diverse competitive scene. Should new opportunities arise, PGL is ready to organize additional CS2 events beyond the current 10 scheduled tournaments.
The freedom for anyone to organize events opens up new possibilities for innovation and growth within the CS2 community. PGL is at the forefront of this transformation and is dedicated to maintaining the highest integrity, professionalism, and transparency standards in every hosted tournament. As we move forward, we will adhere to Valve's licensing guidelines, ensuring that every event is fair, competitive, and exciting for all participants.
PGL CS2 2025-2026 - A Global Journey
PGL strongly believes esports is a global phenomenon and should not be confined to any single country or region. That's why we are dedicated to bringing our events to diverse locations worldwide, ensuring that fans everywhere can experience the thrill of top-tier CS2 competition.
The calendar promises thrilling matches and unforgettable experiences for players and fans. PGL’s commitment to excellence ensures that each tournament will be a standout event, setting new standards for esports.
Below is our comprehensive schedule for the next two years. Each event is designed to provide a unique experience, showcasing top-tier CS2 action in some of the most vibrant cities worldwide. Here’s what we have in store:
2025 Ranked Events
- PGL on FiRe Buenos Aires 2025 - February 13-23: Argentina's Capital will host the first tournament of 2025 inside Teatro Gran Rex.
- PGL Bucharest 2025 - PGL Studios - April 3-13.
- PGL Astana 2025 - Barys Arena - May 8-18.
- PGL Belgrade 2025 - Belgrade Arena - October 23 - November 2.
Additionally, PW CAC 2025 - October 1-13: Our partner, Perfect World, will host and organize the tournament, while PGL is the media partner outside China for this event.
2026 Ranked Events
- PGL on FiRe Buenos Aires 2026 - February 12-22: We return to Buenos Aires for more top-tier action that will take place in Estadio Mary Terán de Weiss.
- PGL Bucharest 2026 - PGL Studios - April 2-12.
- PGL Astana 2026 - Barys Arena - May 7-17.
- PGL Belgrade 2026 - Belgrade Arena - August 6-16.
- PGL on FiRe São Paulo - Location TBD, October 1-11.
- PGL on FiRe Barcelona 2026 - Location TBD, October 22 - November 1.
Tournaments rules
- For the events in South America, one in 2025 and two in 2026, the invited teams will include Global VRS ranked from 1 to 14 and the top 1-2 teams from South America.
- For all other events, the Global VRS Rank (1-16) will be applied.
- Due to a very busy event schedule, there are no Open Qualifiers for any of the PGL events.
- All PGL events in 2025-2026 are OFFLINE.
- Roster Eligibility: A roster is eligible to participate in a Tournament via a Direct VRS Invite only if at least three of the athletes on the roster were also part of the roster on the Invite Date.
- Declining or Inability to Participate: If a roster is unable to participate or chooses to decline the Direct VRS Invite, the invite will be extended to the next roster in the VRS, following the order of Qualifying Ranks, until all tournament slots are filled.
- Visa Requirements: If a team does not receive the necessary visa(s) by the designated deadline, the Direct Invite will be offered to the next team in VRS.
- Valve Ban and Roster Integrity: If a player or players are banned by Valve and the team no longer meets the eligibility criteria in Roster Eligibility, the team may lose the Direct VRS Invite.
- Conflicts of Interest: Teams and players should not have any financial interest in the success of any team that they are competing against. To participate in these tournaments, players and teams are required to affirm that they have no conflict of interest (including any business entanglement such as shared management, shared ownership of entities, licensing, and loans) with any other participating team or its players.
Event Independence
Each of the PGL CS2 events is independent, with no direct connection between them. This independence ensures that every tournament is unique and presents a new global opportunity for teams to shine. By maintaining the autonomy of each event, PGL ensures that teams and players have multiple chances to prove their skills and achieve glory.
Event independence also means that teams can focus on each competition individually, without the pressure of cumulative standings or interconnected outcomes.
Tournaments Format
Group Stage
The Group Stage will feature a 16-team Swiss System Format, where all matches are best-of-three (BO3). This format ensures that teams face opponents with similar records, making every match critical for advancement. The top 8 teams from this stage will secure their spots in the Playoffs.
Playoffs
The Playoffs will feature the top 8 teams from the Group Stage in a single-elimination bracket. The Quarterfinals and Semifinals will be contested in best-of-three (BO3) matches, while the Final will be a best-of-five (BO5) showdown.
Financial terms
Prize pool
Since we’ve always cared about the players, we are elevating the prize pool for all PGL CS2 events to a level similar to the CS2 Majors.
The prize pool for each event will be $1,250,000 distributed as follows:
- 1st place: $425,000
- 2nd place: $150,000
- 3rd-4th place: $125,000
- 5th-8th place: $62,500
- 9th-11th place: $31,250
- 12th-14th place: $18,750
- 15th-16th place: $12,500
Hospitality Support for each event - $450,000
Each team will receive comprehensive hospitality support covering the following:
- Eight roundtrip flight tickets
- Accommodation for 8 people per team, minimum 4 stars hotel
- Hospitality package for each team to cover food, beverages, and snacks during their stay
- Practice room for six people during their stay
This extensive support package ensures that all participants have a comfortable and focused environment, enabling them to perform at their best.
Total Investment
Over the next two years, PGL will invest $17,000,000 in the CS2 community. This substantial financial commitment highlights PGL's dedication to cultivating a vibrant and competitive CS2 scene.
Final Thoughts
PGL is committed to delivering top-tier CS2 events, ensuring fair play, and creating memorable experiences for players and fans. We look forward to seeing the best teams compete in our meticulously planned tournaments across diverse and exciting locations.
In addition to these 10 events, PGL has other surprises for the 2025-2026 calendar that will be announced at a later date.
Stay tuned for more updates, and get ready for an unforgettable journey in the world of CS2!