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The lineups are locked for PGL Masters Bucharest 2026. Sixteen teams head to PGL Studio Bucharest between October 24 and 31, 2026, splitting a $1,250,000 prize pool. Group stage play fills October 24 to 28, then the playoffs take over from October 29 to 31.
Timing matters here. The event wraps up just before the November 2 VRS invite cut-off for the PGL Singapore Major, so every map in Romania carries weight beyond the trophy itself.
How the Field Came Together
PGL handed out 12 direct invites based on the July 6 VRS standings. Falcons were the only top-ranked side to turn theirs down, which pushed the door open for The MongolZ in 13th to grab the last invited slot.
That left a brutal field: Team Spirit, Team Vitality, Natus Vincere, FURIA, G2 Esports and defending champions Aurora Gaming, who arrive with an international roster after making off-season changes. BetBoom Team and 9z Globant earned their spots off quarter-final runs at the IEM Cologne Major. Last year’s runners-up Legacy return with a tweak of their own, bringing in Santino “try” Rigal in place of Guilherme “saadzin” Pacheco.
The remaining four tickets came through regional qualifiers across Europe, Asia and the Americas, played out in the second week of September.
Format
A Swiss group stage trims the sixteen down to eight. Those eight move into a single-elimination bracket, and the whole thing finishes with a best-of-five grand final. No second chances once the bracket starts, which is why the Swiss seeding stage tends to decide more than people expect. If terms like Swiss, bo5 or VRS are new to you, our sports betting glossary covers the basics.
Every Roster at PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
| Team | Starting Five | Coach | Substitutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9z Globant | max, HUASOPEEK, luchov, meyern, dgt | BIT | BIT |
| Aurora Gaming | XANTARES, Jimpphat, Wicadia, kyxsan, woxic | ash | ash, MAJ3R |
| BetBoom Team | Magnojez, Boombl4, S1ren, zorte, d1Ledez | Fierce | Fierce, dmr |
| DENDELE | koala, doc, gafolo, rdnzao, maxxkor | D10S | D10S |
| FURIA | yuurih, KSCERATO, FalleN, molodoy, YEKINDAR | sidde | sidde |
| FUT Esports | dem0n, SunPayus, Krabeni, xfl0ud, dziugss | coolio | coolio, lauNX, cmtry |
| G2 Esports | huNter, MATYS, HeavyGoD, NertZ, r1nkle | sAw | sAw, tAk, hitori, SheddaN |
| Legacy | arT, latto, dumau, n1ssim, try | adrrr | ADR, ksloks, bobz |
| Team Liquid | EliGE, malbsMd, JT, NAF-FLY, Jorko | flashie | flashie |
| MOUZ | xelex, PR, Spinx, torzsi, xertioN | sycrone | sycrone, ay0k, Nikodeon, eSx- |
| Natus Vincere | b1t, w0nderful, Aleksib, makazze, iM | B1ad3 | bond1e, skizzyee, MahaR, FAZERY |
| Nemiga | khaN, SYPH0, robo, KaiR0N-, Xant3r | boX | boX |
| Team Spirit | magixx, donk, zont1x, sh1ro, tN1R | hally | hally, lo9d, S0tF1k |
| The MongolZ | bLitz, Techno, 910, cobrazera, nin9 | maaRaa | – |
| TYLOO | Mercury, Jee, Moseyuh, JamYoung, Zero | zhokiNg | zhokiNg, Attacker |
| Team Vitality | apEX, mezii, ropz, flameZ, ZywOo | XTQZZZ | XTQZZZ, MaT, LucaZ, jL |
Names Worth Watching
Team Spirit still run donk alongside sh1ro, magixx and zont1x, with tN1R completing the five. On paper that is the most frightening group of players in Bucharest. Team Vitality answer with ZywOo, ropz and flameZ under apEX, and they carry four names on the bench including jL, which gives XTQZZZ options nobody else really has.
The Brazilian contingent is interesting. FURIA pair FalleN and the yuurih/KSCERATO core with molodoy and YEKINDAR, a mix that swings hard between brilliant and messy. Legacy keep arT’s aggression at the centre, and try replacing saadzin is the kind of swap that either sharpens the whole structure or breaks it. DENDELE, with koala, doc, gafolo, rdnzao and maxxkor, is the unknown quantity of the bracket.
We think Aurora Gaming are the hardest team to read. Defending a title with a rebuilt international roster of XANTARES, Jimpphat, Wicadia, kyxsan and woxic is a gamble, and honestly the early maps of the Swiss stage should tell us whether it worked. The MongolZ, meanwhile, got in by default and have every reason to play like it, with bLitz, Techno, 910, cobrazera and nin9 under maaRaa.
Betting Angle
Swiss stages chew up favourites. Three-map series only arrive at 2-2 and in elimination matches, so the early best-of-ones are where value tends to sit, especially with rebuilt rosters like Aurora and Legacy still settling. Lines on map handicaps in those opening rounds are usually softer than the outright market. If you are new to structuring stakes around an eight-day event, our guide on how to bet on sports is a sensible starting point, and you can read more about your rights as a player before depositing anywhere.
The Major cut-off adds a layer. Teams sitting on the VRS bubble have a concrete reason to grind out every map, while sides already comfortably qualified for Singapore may rotate stand-ins or experiment. Check roster news before each match day.
Our ratings and picks follow the standards laid out in our editorial policy. Set a budget, stick to it and gamble responsibly.
Key Dates
- October 24-28: Swiss group stage, 16 teams down to 8
- October 29-31: Single-elimination playoffs, best-of-five grand final
- November 2: VRS invite cut-off for the PGL Singapore Major
All matches run out of PGL Studio Bucharest in Romania.