Following the success of the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, PGL has officially declared its entrance into the competitive Counter-Strike scene on a full-time basis. The renowned tournament organizer has revealed plans to host a total of 11 tier-one tournaments throughout 2025 and 2026, in addition to any potential Majors they may be selected to host. This includes some scheduling overlap with tournaments planned by ESL and BLAST.
Credit: PGL
Is PGL’s Entrance Feasible?
With Valve’s recent decision to disallow Partner teams on the competitive Counter-Strike circuit, PGL sees an opportunity to reintegrate into the scene. While their involvement in the past has primarily been limited to Majors, PGL is now poised to expand their footprint with the announcement of 11 upcoming tournaments.
The introduction of PGL’s tournaments adds a new layer of competitiveness to the Counter-Strike calendar. Given the potential scheduling conflicts with BLAST and ESL events, teams may need to make strategic decisions on which tournaments to participate in. The highlighted dates for PGL’s events are:
2025:
- Tournament #1: February 10th – 24th
- Tournament #2: March 31st – April 14th
- Tournament #3: May 3rd – 19th
- Tournament #4: September 29th – October 13th
- Tournament #5: October 18th – November 3rd
2026:
- Tournament #6: February 16th – March 2nd
- Tournament #7: March 23rd – April 6th
- Tournament #8: May 2nd – 18th
- Tournament #9: August 3rd – 17th
- Tournament #10: September 28th – October 12th
- Tournament #11: October 19-November 2
With five events in 2025 and an expansion to six in 2026, the Counter-Strike calendar is now more packed than ever. However, PGL believes that increased competition will drive innovation and ultimately benefit the scene. In a statement, PGL expressed:
“For the first time since 2016, PGL will be able to organize CS2 Tier 1, non-major tournaments, signaling the end of the era dominated by a few esports organizers who created a monopoly on the Counter-Strike market.”
While specific details about the upcoming events have not been disclosed yet, PGL has promised to share more information in the near future.
