PGL Masters Bucharest: Opening Matches Locked In for Oct 26

PGL has confirmed the opening round for PGL Masters Bucharest, a $1,250,000 studio event running October 26–November 1 in Romania. The tournament uses PGL’s familiar format: a best-of-three Swiss Stage leading to an eight-team single-elimination playoff and a best-of-five grand final. 

Day 1 – Opening Matches (Oct 26)

Legacy vs. Liquid (09:00) — A quick rematch thread from Shanghai, with CAC champions Legacy drawing a rebuilt Liquid. 

paiN vs. Gentle Mates (09:00) — Brazil vs. France to kick off the second stream. 

GamerLegion vs. FlyQuest (12:00) — GL’s European core meets FlyQuest’s rising project.

Heroic vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas (12:00) — NIP return after a month’s break against a resurgent Heroic. 

3DMAX vs. SAW (15:00) — Two sturdy tier-one/two gatekeepers collide. 

BetBoom vs. MIBR (15:00) — Firepower duel with upset potential. 

Aurora vs. fnatic (18:00) — The highest-ranked team in attendance opens versus a reshaped fnatic. 

Astralis vs. B8 (18:00) — Danish pedigree versus Ukrainian prospects to close the day. 

Who’s (not) here and why it matters

Despite PGL moving the finish to Nov 1 to ease a clash with IEM Chengdu, a majority of the top-10 have opted out, elevating Aurora to the headline seed. That opens the door for a fresh champion and surprise playoff runs. 

Form guide & storylines

Legacy’s momentum: Fresh off winning the CS Asia Championship in Shanghai, Legacy draw Liquid right away. Captain lux said their recipe has been keeping “good vibes” while still pressuring themselves to improve, and MVP candidate latto called the run “a step forward” in his career. Teammate dumau admitted the team had to fight nerves and “reset” mid-series to close games. 

Liquid 2.0 with EliGE back: Liquid recently re-signed Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski, who described the switch from FaZe and said the new-look roster “can definitely do some damage” after early reps at Birch Cup and CAC. The Bucharest opener versus Legacy will be a litmus test. 

Aurora’s ceiling: As top seed, Aurora carry expectations; their spring form in Bucharest proper included clinching playoffs at the prior PGL event, reinforcing their big-match credentials. They start against fnatic. 

Quick quotes (verified)

latto (Legacy): “I know I am going forward in the steps of my career.” (post-CAC reflection). 

lux (Legacy): “We need to pressure ourselves to be better, but we don’t need to be hard on our teammates.” 

dumau (Legacy): On handling pressure: “When you get on the server, [things] start going on in your mind and then you fight against it with courage and faith.” 

EliGE (Liquid): “We can definitely do some damage here.” (speaking at CAC after his return to Liquid). 

Event essentials

Dates: Oct 26 – Nov 1, 2025

Location: PGL Studio, Bucharest, Romania

Teams: 16

Prize pool: $1,250,000

Format: BO3 Swiss → 8-team playoffs → BO5 grand final