A new debate is unfolding within the CS2 scene around the 2026 calendar, tournament invites, and the impact of the Valve Regional Standings. Following a series of posts by VRS analyst Jesper “Udknud” Larsen, the community has been actively discussing whether PGL events can compete with ESL and BLAST for the attention of top teams — and what that could mean for Major qualification.
The Calendar as the Key Factor: Why PGL Bucharest Is at Risk
Udknud stated directly that PGL Bucharest could end up without most top teams due to its unfortunate placement in the calendar:
If you don’t believe this, then watch how PGL Bucharest will likely be completely absent of top teams due to its unfortunate place in the calendar.
According to him, the main issue is the tournament’s position relative to the Major qualification deadline. Teams ranked 13–18 cannot afford to risk their “Major fate” right before the cut-off, while top-12 squads are likely to use the break to rest or focus on other events, including IEM Rio.
In the analyst’s view, the contrast between PGL Cluj and PGL Bucharest will be significant. While Cluj secured almost the entire top 10 thanks to ideal timing, Bucharest may lose that status due to scheduling conflicts and priorities.
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PGL Astana vs IEM Atlanta: Format vs Contracts
Udknud also analyzed the clash between PGL Astana and IEM Atlanta. He predicts that many teams will automatically choose IEM Atlanta due to contractual obligations with ESL and earlier invites:
I predict that top teams will accept IEM Atlanta over PGL Astana per default…
However, Astana has its own advantages: a larger prize pool, a stronger format, and significant impact on the June VRS ranking, which determines invites to EWC and influences the fall Major cycle.
Udknud himself acknowledges that Astana is a “superior format” event, but ultimately deadlines and potential U.S. visa issues could decide the outcome.
Is ESL Really “Pushing Out” PGL?
In the comments, part of the community accused ESL of attempting to push PGL out of the Tier-1 space through contractual leverage:
It’s PGL vs ESL. They will forever try to shun PGL out of tier 1 teams…
However, Udknud emphasizes that the situation ultimately comes down to two factors:
- The tournament’s position relative to the Major qualification cut-off.
- The absence of conflicts with ESL and BLAST events.
That is precisely why PGL Cluj became an exception — perfect calendar placement and lack of direct competition allowed it to gather almost the entire top 10.
PGL Singapore Major — A Different Story
When it comes to the PGL Singapore Major, the outlook is far more optimistic:
I think most top teams will attend this PGL event.
A Major typically outweighs contractual or commercial considerations, so significant attendance issues are not expected there.
The Bigger Context: VRS Matters More Than It Seems
Udknud also stressed that many underestimate the impact of VRS and Major cut-offs:
The major cycle and important ranking cut-offs plays a much bigger role than many people are aware of. It’s the primary consideration.
With a limited number of Tier-1 events counting toward the next Major, teams simply cannot afford to skip invites — especially for events like EWC or BLAST Open.
Community Reaction
The discussion quickly moved beyond pure calendar analysis and turned into a broader debate about the balance of power between tournament operators. Some users openly supported the idea that ESL holds a structural advantage due to its contract model:
It’s PGL vs ESL. They will forever try to shun PGL out of tier 1 teams and events by contract obligations…
Others pointed to regional factors, suggesting that Astana could attract specific top teams because of geography:
IMO Astana will at least have Spirit present, because for them it’s the closest they’ll get to a home crowd all year.
There were also broader questions about the ecosystem itself:
What will that mean not just in the context of VRS, but the CS ecosystem as a whole?
And not without irony — journalist Graham Pitt joked about the depth of the analytical threads:
Time to lock your tweets behind a paywall.
The overall tone of the reaction shows that this is not just about a single tournament, but about a long-term struggle between PGL, ESL, and BLAST for priority access to top teams in 2026.
What Does This Mean for 2026?
The year 2026 could become a period of open competition between tournament operators for top-team priority. If PGL consistently finds favorable calendar windows and offers formats with strong VRS impact, the balance of power could shift. But if deadlines and contractual obligations continue to play a decisive role, ESL and BLAST are likely to retain their structural advantage.
For now, the key question remains: will PGL Cluj prove to be an exception — or the beginning of a new trend?
