Most Top-Ranked Teams Will Skip PGL Masters Bucharest Despite Schedule Change

Most Top-Ranked Teams Will Skip PGL Masters Bucharest Despite Schedule Change

The recently revealed team list for PGL Masters Bucharest 2025—a $1,250,000 studio event scheduled for October 26 to November 1 — has drawn criticism and surprise, as most of the top 10 teams in the VRS rankings have opted out, even after the tournament schedule was adjusted to reduce conflict with IEM Chengdu. 

Originally, PGL planned for Masters Bucharest to conclude on November 2, directly clashing with the start of IEM Chengdu 2025. Due to pushback and logistical concerns, PGL announced on September 9 that the event would now end a day earlier, giving teams two days to travel between the European and Chinese events. 

Still, the majority of top-tier teams declined to attend. Of the sixteen invited teams, only Aurora and Astralis currently hold positions in the top 10 of the VRS rankings. Many of the remaining slots are filled by squads ranked outside the top 20. 

Though the schedule change was intended to allow overlap, PGL confirmed that only Astralis, HEROIC, 3DMAX, and paiN have committed to competing at both Bucharest and Chengdu. 

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Why Top Teams Are Skipping & the Fallout

Scheduling Strain & Overlap

The original overlap between PGL Masters and IEM Chengdu created hard decisions for teams that qualified or had the resources to attend both. The adjustment reduced some pressure, but for many organizations, the added travel, costs, and fatigue were still prohibitive. 

Some teams may have assessed that the reward in Bucharest did not justify the logistical burden when success in Chengdu or other events might offer more value in terms of prestige or roster stability.

Organizational Priorities & Strategic Choices

Others appear to be making strategic bets:

• GamerLegion and Aurora, for example, reportedly declined Chengdu to fully commit to the PGL Bucharest event.

• Some top teams may be focusing their resources on events with higher prestige or closer alignment to their roster and Major qualification goals rather than spreading themselves too thin.

This mass withdrawal by elite squads also gives room for lower-ranked or emergent teams to gain exposure, VRS points, and upsets. 

The Invited Teams & Composition

The announced list of participating teams includes: Aurora, Astralis, paiN, 3DMAX, GamerLegion, Legacy, HEROIC, Liquid, B8, Ninjas in Pyjamas, fnatic, BetBoom, Gentle Mates, FlyQuest, MIBR, and SAW. 

Because many top squads declined, several of these are ranked outside the top echelons, making Aurora the highest-ranked team slated to participate in Romania. 

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Broader Implications & What This Signals

Devaluation of “Tier-1” Events?

The reluctance of top teams to attend Bucharest suggests a trend: even major tournaments must juggle modern demands of travel, overlapping calendars, and roster welfare. It raises questions about whether the status of studio or LAN events is being recalibrated.

Opportunity for Upsets & Momentum Shifts

With fewer dominant teams in attendance, underdogs and rising squads have a clearer path to deep runs, exposure, and VRS point gains. This could shift competitive balance and give new names room to break into higher tiers. 

Calendar & Format Pressures

The CS2 event calendar is becoming more congested. PGL and ESL have already clashed over scheduling, as documented in columns calling attention to the brutal pace between Bucharest and Chengdu. 

PGL’s move to shorten Masters Bucharest was a concession, but it may not have been enough to satisfy all teams. 

Competitive Prestige vs Practical Reality

Even top-tier organizations seem to now weigh prestige against practicality. Teams may prioritize fewer, more sustainable events over chasing every marquee invitation. The fact that only a few top 10 teams elected to attend both events is telling in itself.