Patryk Stachowiak
PGL Wallachia Season 9 runs from 19 September to 27 September 2026 at PGL Studios in Bucharest, Romania. Nine days of LAN Dota 2, 16 teams, a $1,000,000 prize pool and $300,000 waiting for whoever lifts the trophy. Twelve rosters came in on direct invites, the other four fought through qualifiers.
Why this participant list looks strange
The post-The International 2026 reshuffle wrecked the invite process. PGL simply could not find 16 settled Tier-1 rosters to call, so the bracket ended up mixing established organizations with teams that have never played at this level. Conventus Stellarum and Pibbles Corp get their first real shot on a Tier-1 stage here. Several participants still have not locked their final five, which means stand-ins are a genuine possibility once the group stage begins.
Four teams arrive straight from TI 2026. Team Yandex had the best run of the group, finishing 3rd. Aurora Gaming and GamerLegion both landed in 9th-13th, and Xtreme Gaming closed out at 14th-15th. PlayTime was among the first organizations to confirm attendance and brings a brand new roster assembled for the new season, which makes them one of the more interesting unknowns on the list.
Our read on the favourites matches the general consensus: Team Yandex, 1win Team and Aurora Gaming are the three most likely winners. Honestly, in a field this unsettled we would not be shocked by a semi-final nobody predicted.
All 16 teams at PGL Wallachia Season 9
- 1win Team
- Aurora Gaming
- Conventus Stellarum
- GamerLegion
- Hokori
- LGD Gaming
- MOUZ
- Natus Vincere
- Pibbles Corp
- Pipsqueak+4
- PlayTime
- Team Cobra
- Team Nemesis
- Team Yandex
- Xtreme Gaming
- Yakult Brothers
Tournament format
The event opens with a Swiss-system group stage. Every series there is best-of-3, the top eight teams move into the playoffs and the remaining eight go home. No Bo1 coinflips, which is a relief given how many of these rosters are untested against each other.
Group stage
- Swiss system
- All matches Bo3
- Top 8 advance to the playoffs
- Bottom 8 are eliminated
Playoffs
- Double-elimination bracket
- All matches Bo3
- Grand final in Bo5
If you are new to reading brackets and price moves around esports events, the how to bet on sports guide covers the basics, and the sports betting glossary explains the terms you will run into on Bo3 and Bo5 markets.
Game Day 1 schedule (19 September 2026)
| Time | Match |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | 1win Team vs Team Nemesis |
| 10:00 | Xtreme Gaming vs Pibbles Corp |
| 13:00 | Conventus Stellarum vs PlayTime |
| 13:00 | Natus Vincere vs Hokori |
| 16:00 | Aurora Gaming vs Pipsqueak+4 |
| 16:00 | GamerLegion vs Team Cobra |
| 19:00 | Team Yandex vs MOUZ |
| 19:00 | LGD Gaming vs Yakult Brothers |
Eight series on the opening day, paired up in four time slots. Team Yandex vs MOUZ is the pick of the day for us, with Natus Vincere vs Hokori the one most likely to swing on roster news.
What to watch for
The Swiss stage is where this tournament gets decided in practice. Teams with confirmed rosters and real scrim time should bank early 2-0 results against the debutants, and a single bad Bo3 can drop a favourite into a must-win branch by day three. Keep an eye on lineup announcements before each session, since stand-ins change draft plans completely. For the newcomers, Conventus Stellarum, Pibbles Corp, Team Cobra and Pipsqueak+4, a top-eight finish and a playoff series would already be a strong week.
We publish our takes under our editorial policy, and you can read up on your rights as a player before you place anything on this event. Always gamble responsibly.