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PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 Swiss Stage: All 16 Teams, Matchups, and What to Watch
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Hamza Rashid
Gamer
14 Feb 2026
Posted On
The PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 CS2 Major Swiss Stage is live. Sixteen teams are battling through a best-of-three Swiss System from February 14-18, with the top eight advancing to the playoffs in a single-elimination bracket. NAVI vs Astralis, Vitality vs G2, and FaZe vs HEROIC headline the opening round.
Key takeaway: The Swiss Stage runs five days with one round per day - advancement and elimination matches start February 16, so every series from Day 3 onward is do-or-die.
The PGL Cluj-Napoca Major is the first CS2 Major of 2026, and the Swiss Stage is where the real tournament begins. Sixteen teams qualified through the Regional Major Rankings (RMR) events, and only half will survive to the playoffs.
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All 16 Teams in the Swiss Stage
The Swiss Stage field features a mix of established powerhouses and qualifier surprises. Here’s the full roster:[1]
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The Favorites
Vitality enter as the consensus number-one team in the world. ZywOo’s form has been absurd, and they’ve barely dropped a map in official play since IEM Katowice. NAVI are the defending Major champions and have the firepower to beat anyone on any given day. G2 Esports, FaZe, and MOUZ round out the top tier - all three have legitimate title aspirations.
The Dark Horses
The MongolZ continue their rise as one of the most exciting teams in CS2. Their aggressive playstyle has caused headaches for every team they’ve faced in 2026. 3DMAX and Aurora have both shown they can upset top-five teams in best-of-three formats, and Astralis - while no longer the dynasty they once were - still have the experience to make deep runs when it matters.
The Full Field
Vitality, FURIA, Falcons, MOUZ, PARIVISION, FaZe, NAVI, G2, The MongolZ, Aurora, Astralis, 3DMAX, FUT, B8, paiN, and HEROIC make up the 16-team bracket.
Opening Round Matchups to Watch
The first round of the Swiss Stage kicks off February 14 with five marquee matchups:[2]
NAVI vs Astralis
This is a legacy matchup, even if the rosters look nothing like they did in the s1mple-device era. NAVI are heavy favorites, but Astralis have historically performed above their ranking at Majors. Don’t count them out, but don’t bet on an upset either.
Vitality vs G2
The biggest opening round match by far. Both teams expect to be in the playoffs, and neither wants to start 0-1. ZywOo vs NiKo in a best-of-three on Day 1 is exactly the kind of storyline that makes Majors special.
FaZe vs HEROIC
FaZe have the roster talent to win the entire tournament, but HEROIC have been one of the most improved teams in 2026. This one could go either way, and the loser immediately faces pressure in Round 2.
Aurora vs FUT and MOUZ vs PARIVISION
Aurora and FUT are both teams that earned their spots through the RMR grind. MOUZ vs PARIVISION is more straightforward - MOUZ are the clear favorites, but Swiss formats reward preparation, and PARIVISION have nothing to lose.
How the Swiss System Works
For anyone unfamiliar with how CS2 Major Swiss Stages operate: teams play rounds until they either win three series (advance to playoffs) or lose three series (elimination). What makes it interesting is the Buchholz seeding system - your next opponent is determined by the combined strength of the teams you’ve already played, so as the rounds progress, similar-quality teams naturally end up facing each other.
Advancement matches (2-0 vs 2-0) and elimination matches (0-2 vs 0-2) start on Day 3, February 16. That’s when the tournament really hits its stride, because every series is genuinely elimination or qualification. If you need a refresher on how competitive rankings work in CS2, our guide on ranking up faster breaks down the fundamentals.
What Makes This Major Different
PGL Cluj-Napoca is the first Major held in Romania, and the venue - BT Arena - holds over 10,000 fans. But the real story is the competitive landscape. The gap between the top 5 and the rest of the field has never been smaller in CS2. Teams like The MongolZ and 3DMAX have proven they can take series off anyone, and the Swiss format gives them five rounds to prove it wasn’t a fluke.
The prize pool sits at $1,250,000 USD, with the lion’s share going to the playoff finishers. But for many of these teams, the RMR points and the legacy of a Major run matter more than the money.
Key Players to Watch
ZywOo (Vitality) is in career-best form and could cement his legacy as the greatest CS2 player if Vitality win here. NiKo (G2) has never won a Major, and at this point in his career, each one feels more urgent. b1t (NAVI) has stepped into the star role since the roster shuffle and has been delivering consistently.
On the dark horse side, keep an eye on 910 (The MongolZ), who has been one of the highest-rated players in the Asian circuit, and Zyphon (3DMAX), whose AWP has been turning heads all year.
Schedule and How to Follow
The Swiss Stage runs February 14-18, 2026. All matches are best-of-three. The stream is available on PGL’s official channels, and HLTV provides live scoreboards, demos, and stats for every series.[3]
Here’s what’s confirmed: 16 teams, five days, best-of-three Swiss format, top 8 advance. What’s still unknown: whether the favorites will survive the format or whether this Major produces the kind of upsets that define a year. If you’re grinding your own CS2 rank while you watch, take notes on how the pros approach map vetoes and economy management - it’s the fastest way to improve.
The Swiss Stage runs from February 14 to February 18, 2026, with one round of best-of-three matches played each day. This is a common question among players looking to understand the competitive landscape better.
Eight teams advance. Teams need three wins to qualify for the single-elimination playoff bracket. Three losses means elimination. This is a common question among players looking to understand the competitive landscape better.
The Buchholz system determines matchups based on opponent strength. Your next opponent is decided by the combined record of teams you have already played, so evenly matched teams face each other as the rounds progress.
Vitality, NAVI, G2 Esports, FaZe, and MOUZ are considered the top five favorites. Vitality enter as the world number one, while NAVI are the defending Major champions.
The total prize pool is $1,250,000 USD, distributed primarily among the playoff finishers. This is a common question among players looking to understand the competitive landscape better.
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