By Sagar V. Mankar 
Esports tournament organizer PGL has unveiled key details about its upcoming Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) events scheduled for 2025 and 2026. The announcement includes a venue change for the season’s first event, updates on the prize pool distribution, and the playoff structure.
PGL had initially shared plans for its CS2 tournaments earlier this year following Valve’s rule changes prohibiting exclusive ‘partner team’ leagues. These updates prompted organizers like PGL and StarLadder to introduce new events, while others such as BLAST and ESL restructured their competition formats.
Tournament Locations 2025:
- Cluj-Napoca, Romania (New opening venue, changed from originally planned Buenos Aires due to busy CS2 calendar)
- Bucharest, Romania
- Astana, Kazakhstan
- Belgrade, Serbia
Tournament Locations 2026:
- All four locations from 2025 will return
- Two additional venues yet to be announced
Originally planned for Buenos Aires, the first event will now take place in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Known for hosting a CS:GO Major in 2015, Cluj-Napoca was chosen due to a packed CS2 calendar, which posed logistical challenges for hosting in Argentina.
Tournament Format:
- Eight-team playoff format
- Includes third-place decider match
Schedule breakdown:
- Friday: Four quarterfinal matches
- Saturday: One show match and two semifinals
- Sunday: Third-place decider and grand finals
One notable feature of PGL’s tournaments is the playoff structure. Each event will feature an eight-team playoff, making PGL the only Tier 1 organizer to offer this format.
Prize Pool Structure:
While the total prize pool remains unchanged at $1.25 million (£980,000) per tournament, the third-place team will now receive a larger share.
- First Place: $400,000
- Second Place: $187,500
- Third Place: $150,000
Key Administrative Changes:
Another significant update is PGL’s commitment to faster prize money distribution. The company promises to process prize payouts within two weeks of an event’s conclusion, provided teams submit their invoices on time.
Sources: PGL Official Announcements.