PGL Bucharest 2026: Teams, Schedule, and More

PGL Bucharest 2026 is set to kick off soon, with 16 Counter-Strike 2 teams heading to the PGL Studio in Romania to compete for a share of the $1.25 million prize pool. The tournament will run from April 4 to 11. With a trophy, valuable VRS (Valve Regional Standings) points, and prize money on the line, the week-long event has all the ingredients to keep Counter-Strike fans thoroughly engaged.

The event is structured in two phases. From April 4-8, teams will compete in the group stage, while the final three days will feature intense playoff action. PGL Bucharest will culminate with a best-of-five Grand Final on April 11, 2026.

Notably, the cutoff for Cologne Major invites is April 6. As a result, most of the VRS points earned at PGL Bucharest will not count toward Major qualification. However, they can still go a long way in helping teams secure invites to other upcoming tournaments. 

Below is everything you need to know about PGL Bucharest 2026, including the participating teams, format, schedule, and livestream details.

Teams

Several top teams including Team Vitality have opted out of PGL Bucharest 2026, likely due to the tournament's proximity to IEM Rio, which is scheduled to begin on April 13. As a result, all eyes will be on teams like PARIVISION and The MongolZ. The tournament also saw a few last-minute changes, such as M80 withdrawing and EYEBALLERS replacing them.

Format

Group Stage 

PGL Bucharest will begin with a Swiss System group stage, where each team plays up to five matches. Opponents will be reseeded after each round, and teams that secure three wins will advance to the playoffs. All matches are best-of-three, and a total of eight teams will progress to the next stage.

Playoffs

The playoffs will follow a single-elimination bracket. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be best-of-three, while the Grand Final will be a best-of-five showdown.

Schedule

Group Stage

Saturday, April 4th

• FUT vs Inner Circle: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• 3DMAX vs FOKUS: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• B8 vs Wildcard: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• NRG vs Voca: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• The MongolZ vs BC.Game: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

• Astralis vs MIBR: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

• PARIVISION vs Legacy: 9 am PDT/ 6 pm CEST

• FaZe vs EYEBALLERS: 9 am PDT/ 6 pm CEST

Sunday, April 5th

• Swiss Round 2 #1: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• Swiss Round 2 #2: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• Swiss Round 2 #3: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 2 #4: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 2 #5: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 2 #6: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 2 #7: 9 am PDT/ 6 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 2 #8: 9 am PDT/ 6 pm CEST

Monday, April 6th

• Swiss Round 3 #1: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• Swiss Round 3 #2: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• Swiss Round 3 #3: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 3 #4: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 3 #5: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 3 #6: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 3 #7: 9 am PDT/ 6 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 3 #8: 9 am PDT/ 6 pm CEST

Tuesday, April 7th

• Swiss Round 4 #1: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• Swiss Round 4 #2: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• Swiss Round 4 #3: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 4 #4: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 4 #5: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 4 #6: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

Wednesday, April 8th

• Swiss Round 5 #1: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• Swiss Round 5 #2: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• Swiss Round 5 #3: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

Playoffs

Thursday, April 9th 

• Quarterfinal #1: 12 am PDT/ 9 am CEST

• Quarterfinal #2: 3 am PDT/ 12 pm CEST

• Quarterfinal #3: 6 am PDT/ 3 pm CEST

• Quarterfinal #4: 9 am PDT/ 6 pm CEST

Friday, April 10th 

• Semifinal #1: 7 am PDT/ 4 pm CEST

• Semifinal #2: 10 am PDT/ 7 pm CEST

Saturday, April 11th 

• 3rd Place Match: 5 am PDT/ 2 pm CEST

• Grand Final: 8 am PDT/ 5 pm CEST

Where to Watch PGL Bucharest 2026

PGL Bucharest 2026 will be broadcast live on PGL's official channels across multiple streaming platforms, featuring two concurrent streams. You can also catch co-streams from various content creators. Below are the official stream links:

• Stream A: Twitch, YouTube, Kick, Facebook

• Stream B: Twitch, YouTube, Kick

You can also follow CS2 PGL Bucharest 2026 live on Strafe.

Don't forget to follow Strafe Esports for the latest news about your favorite esports and to check out our X account for the most recent content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to the Strafe YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and much more.

Featured Image Credit: PGL Counter-Strike

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