PGL is the official partner of trusted bookmaker 1xBet and a leading organizer of prestigious esports tournaments. In 2025, the company has scheduled four major CS2 championships. The winter tournament, PGL Cluj-Napoca, saw the German team MOUZ claim victory, defeating Falcons 3-1 in the final. The biggest CS2 spring events will be PGL Bucharest and PGL Astana, while a massive tournament is set for Belgrade in the fall.
In this 1xBet preview, we’ll cover the key features and top contenders of PGL Bucharest 2025, which will be held in Romania’s capital from April 6 to April 13.
PGL revamps its prize pool distribution system
The PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 tournament failed to meet the expectations of both organizers and fans. NAVI, Team Spirit, G2 Esports Vitality, and Team Liquid withdrew due to an outdated prize pool distribution system. The absence of top-tier players negatively impacted the match quality and viewership.
However, the organizers responded to the disappointing season opener by implementing a new prize distribution system for PGL Bucharest 2025, ensuring that half of the winnings go to the players and the other half to the team.
Prize pool breakdown:
- 1 place: $400,000 ($200,000 for players & $200,000 for the team)
- 2 place: $187,500
- 3 place: $150,000
- 4 place: $87,500
- 5-8 places: $62,500
- 9-11 places: $31,250
- 12-14 places: $18,750
- 15-16 places: $12,500
This prize distribution model aligns with the standards set by leading tournaments hosted by ESL and BLAST. Consequently, PGL is back in the game, ready to challenge the largest CS2 tournament organizers for dominance in the esports scene.
Who will compete for the $1,250,000 prize pool?
PGL initially invited the top 12 teams from Valve’s February rankings to participate in the tournament. However, Team Spirit, NAVI, Vitality, and MOUZ declined due to their packed schedules. As a result, the final lineup for PGL Bucharest 2025 is as follows:
- G2 Esports
- The MongolZ
- FaZe Clan
- Eternal Fire
- Team Falcons
- Team Liquid
- FURIA
- Virtus.pro
- GamerLegion
- 3DMAX
- Astralis
- paiN Gaming
- Apogee Esports
- Complexity
- Legacy
- Rare Atom
The last four teams on this list secured their spots through regional qualifiers. The main sensation is the Apogee Esports franchise, a Portuguese team with a Polish roster of players. In the qualifiers, they defeated higher-ranked opponents, including BIG, HEROIC, OG, ENCE, and BetBoom Team.
To be part of the esports spectacle, you don’t have to travel to Bucharest or pull off insane aces and clutch plays against top teams. Every fan can try their luck by using a 1xBet promo code free bet to play risk-free. Whether you want to bet on a single match outcome or go for an outright tournament winner, the choice is yours.
PGL Bucharest 2025 format and favorites
Some of the best CS2 teams will battle to determine the strongest squad for a week. In the first stage, 16 teams compete in a Swiss format, with all matches played as Best of 3. By the end of this stage, the top eight teams advance to the playoffs, following a single-elimination format. In the playoffs, every mistake is costly – a single loss means relegation.
Top contenders for the PGL Bucharest 2025 title
- MongolZ – The official partner of global betting company 1xBet, which has shown consistent results this season. The team participated in three major tournaments in 2025, reaching the playoffs in all of them. If luck is on their side, MongolZ could secure the first trophy of the year in Bucharest.
- FaZe Clan – The team reached the semifinals of PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 and took time to recover before the Bucharest event by skipping ESL Pro League S21. If newcomer Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski fully integrates into the lineup, FaZe Clan could take home the championship title.
- G2, Falcons, and Eternal Fire – All three teams boast strong rosters and could be dark horses at PGL Bucharest 2025. Their performance will largely depend on the tournament bracket.
You can watch live broadcasts of PGL Bucharest 2025 matches and support your favorite teams on the official 1xBet website and mobile app!
