Tournament organiser PGL has announced significant adjustments to its previously revealed Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) 2026 calendar, citing direct scheduling clashes with events from another organiser. The changes, which include the cancellation of a tournament, were made to prioritise “competitive integrity and the logistical needs of the global esports circuit.”
A key change affects PGL Bucharest 2026. The Tier 1 event, hosted at PGL Studios with a $1,250,000 prize pool, will now conclude on Saturday, 11 April, one day earlier than initially planned. This adjustment was made specifically to ensure players can travel to their next commitments on a different continent without disruption, as an event from ESL, announced on 20 December, 2024, commences on 12 April.
Furthermore, the CS2 event originally scheduled for early October 2026 has been cancelled entirely. PGL confirmed the cancellation was a result of a “full overlap” with another organiser’s tournament, which is understood to be an ESL event running from 21 September to 11 October.
PGL claims to have first published its 2026 schedule on 31 March 2024. According to the organiser, another tournament operator, understandably ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), subsequently scheduled the majority of its events in direct conflict with the PGL dates. In response, PGL stated it is adapting its calendar “to ensure the highest competitive standards and to respect the logistical needs of teams and players.”
However, the initial plan for PGL Bucharest as announced in March 2024 seemingly had its conclusion in 5 April, not 12 April. The event in October, however, indeed conflicted entirely with EFG’s later announcement: 28 September – October 11.
Other events on the calendar remain confirmed. PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 is set for 9-22 February, while PGL Astana 2026 will run from 7-17 May. Following the Astana event, PGL and Perfect World will collaborate to facilitate team participation in the subsequent CAC 2026 tournament in Shanghai, with the two events offering a combined $2.6 million in prize money.
PGL has also confirmed it will host another Tier 1 event between 22 October and 2 November 2026, with details to be announced.
Also read: StarLadder confirms StarSeries 20 for 2026 and Tier-1 event for 2027
These adjustments to the 2026 calendar are not the first time PGL has revised its plans in response to the crowded competitive scene. Earlier 2025, the organiser moved the conclusion of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 to 1st November, ensuring a two-day buffer before the start of IEM Chengdu 2025. This followed earlier public tensions between PGL and other tournament organisers, ESL and BLAST, concerning scheduling and ecosystem practices.
During that dispute, PGL CEO Silviu Stroie alleged that rival organisers were employing unfair tactics, though no evidence was provided and anonymous team sources reported no experience of such threats. In response, BLAST emphasised a belief in “collaboration between tournament organisers, teams, players and Valve,” noting that PGL had chosen not to participate in past discussions on governance and calendar alignment.
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