PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 Set to Feature Nine of the World’s Top Ten CS2 Teams, Making It One of the Year’s Most Competitive Events

PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 Set to Feature Nine of the World’s Top Ten CS2 Teams, Making It One of the Year’s Most Competitive Events

PGL has confirmed the full lineup of teams for PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026, an upcoming Counter-Strike 2 tournament scheduled to run from February 14 to 22, 2026 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. This edition of PGL’s flagship competition — part of a packed early 2026 CS2 calendar — is shaping up to be one of the strongest non-Major events in recent memory, with nine of the current top ten teams in the world accepting invitations to compete. 

Unlike many smaller invitational LANs that struggle to attract Tier-1 rosters, this event boasts enormous competitive depth. All but two of the top 16 teams from the most recent Valve ranking list have confirmed their attendance, reflecting just how central Cluj-Napoca has become in the early season esports circuit. The only absentees from the top tier are Spirit and Team Liquid, who both elected to skip the event for scheduling reasons ahead of other early 2026 tournaments. Their places were taken by HEROIC and paiN Gaming, ranked 17th and 18th respectively. 

🔥 Confirmed Teams Set to Clash in Romania

The complete 16-team lineup for PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 includes a wide cross-section of the global CS2 elite:

• FURIA (Brazil)

• Team Vitality (France/Europe)

• Falcons (Europe)

• Natus Vincere (Na’Vi) (Europe)

• MOUZ (Europe)

• FaZe Clan (Europe/International)

• The MongolZ (Mongolia)

• Aurora (Turkey)

• B8 (Ukraine)

• Legacy (Brazil)

• G2 Esports (Europe)

• 3DMAX (France)

• Astralis (Denmark)

• PARIVISION (Russia)

• HEROIC (Europe — invited based on ranking)

• paiN Gaming (Brazil — also ranking-based invite)

This roster includes almost every household name in CS2 competition, from perennial top-tier squads like FURIA and FaZe to rising monsters such as Falcons and Legacy, who have carved out significant momentum over the last season. 

👑 Top-Tier Context: What Makes This Event Stand Out

PGL’s return to this traditional Counter-Strike stronghold follows a significant expansion of their tournament calendar after Valve ended franchise systems. In 2025, PGL resumed normal competitive operations, hosting standalone events across Europe. Cluj-Napoca, a city with a deep connection to CS esports, had already hosted several memorable editions in the past. 

The 2026 edition carries a prize pool reportedly around $625,000, with a Best-of-3 Swiss group stage leading into Best-of-5 playoffs — a format designed to reward consistency and adaptability across diverse maps and opponents. 

What makes this PGL showpiece especially compelling is the level of competition. According to HLTV rankings, nine of the ten highest-ranked teams are present. That signals a marked rise in the event’s prestige compared to other early-year LANs, positioning Cluj-Napoca as a key proving ground before the spring and summer Major cycle. 

📈 Competitive Landscape & Player Momentum

Several teams arriving in Romania have strong recent form:

• Vitality — featuring perennial MVP candidate ZywOo, who was recently named HLTV Player of the Year for 2025, alongside other stars like ropz and flameZ. Their participation underscores the event’s quality. 

• MOUZ and Falcons have been involved in multiple high-tier clashes over the past year, fostering rivalries that could define key matches in Cluj.

• FaZe Clan — a staple of international CS competition — continue to adapt after high-profile roster shifts, including benching of long-serving star rain in 2025 and addition of Twistzz. 

The collective experience and recent form of these squads mean Cluj-Napoca won’t be a mere tune-up event — many teams will treat it as a major benchmark in their 2026 trajectory, both for rankings and confidence ahead of bigger majors later in the season.

🗓 How This Fits Into the Year

Cluj-Napoca is one of several important early-season tournaments. The broader 2026 CS2 calendar includes multiple PGL events, regional championships, and ultimately the PGL Major Singapore later in the year, which will feature 32 teams competing for an even larger prize pool. 

With the competitive scene rapidly growing, events like Cluj-Napoca help set the tone for the entire year — offering teams both valuable ranking points and the chance to refine strategies in a high-stakes LAN environment.