PGL returns to Kazakhstan for the second time with 16 CS2 teams set to compete at the BARYS Arena in Astana. The event runs from May 9 to 17, 2026, and carries a total prize pool of $1,600,000 split equally between player share and club share.
Six of the 16 teams carry a top-ten VRS ranking. Several others fill the field after qualifying through regional circuits.
Teams at PGL Astana 2026
Falcons and Spirit hold the highest VRS ranks among all participants. The full team list is:
- Group 1 (seeded): FURIA, Aurora, Falcons, Spirit, PARIVISION, The MongolZ, MOUZ, G2
- Group 2 (unseeded): 9z, Monte, HEROIC, Gentle Mates, magic, Fisher College, K27, The Huns
The event has a notable debut angle. Karrigan plays his first tournament under the Falcons banner. Over at MOUZ, jL and xelex both make their debut for the organization after joining from separate teams ahead of this event.
Two Mongolian teams, The MongolZ and The Huns, feature in the same bracket. The MongolZ sit at VRS rank 8, while The Huns come in at rank 111.
Format
PGL Astana 2026 follows the standard PGL structure used at previous events. The group stage runs as a five-round Swiss system with all 16 teams. The top eight advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket, starting from the quarter-finals.
Playoff matches are played in front of a live crowd at the BARYS Arena. The grand final is a best-of-five. Before the final, a third-place decider opens proceedings on the last day of the event.
Schedule and Opening Matches
The group stage begins on May 9, 2026. Here are the eight opening matchups:
| Time (local) | Match |
|---|---|
| 07:00 | Aurora vs. HEROIC |
| 07:00 | G2 vs. Fisher College |
| 10:00 | MOUZ vs. Gentle Mates |
| 10:00 | The MongolZ vs. magic |
| 13:00 | Falcons vs. K27 |
| 13:00 | Spirit vs. The Huns |
| 16:00 | FURIA vs. Monte |
| 16:00 | PARIVISION vs. 9z |
IEM Atlanta 2026 runs at the same time as PGL Astana. This is why several top-ranked teams are absent from the Astana lineup. Teams like Vitality and Natus Vincere, who sit at VRS ranks 1 and 2, are not attending.
