PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026: Teams and players to watch

Following the conclusion of IEM Kraków 2026, the attention of the Counter-Strike 2 community quickly turns towards PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026. 

The next stop in a packed Tier 1 event calendar sees the world’s best teams in action once again, competing for a share of its $625,000 (~£456.940) prize pool.  

With several notable names in attendance and numerous teams looking to carry on momentum ahead of the June’s Cologne Major, Esports Insider takes a look at the teams and players to watch throughout the tournament.

After excelling during Team Vitality’s IEM Kraków 2026 triumph, Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut has cemented his place as one of Counter-Strike’s all-time greats.

The French AWPer’s razor-sharp reactions continue to be a key component of the team’s recent run of dominant form in Tier 1 tournaments. In addition to his clinical precision with a sniper in hand, ZywOo is no stranger to picking up a rifle to make an impact at closer distances alongside the rest of his team.

Armed with excellent proficiency with the AWP and a rifle, ZywOo has the potential to spearhead Team Vitality to an eleventh Tier 1 trophy in the last 12 months. Team Vitality begins its Cluj-Napoca campaign against G2 Esports in the opening round of Swiss stage matches on February 14th.

Whether it’s FaZe Clan magic or an uncharacteristically poor performance, Finn ‘Karrigan’ Andersen still remains one of Counter-Strike’s most experienced in-game leaders competing in Tier 1 competitions.

While his in-game statistics rarely appear at the top of the scoreboard, Karrigan continues to lead a team hoping to rediscover the form that saw it make an unprecedented run to the Grand Final of last year’s Budapest Major. During IEM Kraków, the Dane displayed his skill with one-versus-two clutches against MOUZ and 3DMAX before bowing out in the Group Stage.

Despite FaZe Clan’s hit-and-miss form, Karrigan maintains his place as an integral part of the team’s operation as it looks to rediscover itself.

Team Falcons’ entry fragger René ‘TeSeS’ Madsen has struggled to find consistency so far in 2026. However, he has helped lead the team’s charge towards the top of the global standings. 

Throughout Team Falcons’ IEM Kraków run, the Danish rifler suffered from inconsistent performances despite the occasional demonstration of clinical accuracy in high-pressure scenarios. While recent performances haven’t gone in favour of TeSeS or his team, it is important to still highlight that the team has toppled Team Vitality this year and finished second at BLAST Bounty Winter 2026.

PGL Cluj-Napoca provides a new opportunity for the Dane to bounce back on the stage of another Tier 1 tournament. Team Falcons faces off against 3DMAX in a rematch from the IEM Kraków Group Stage.

After sweeping aside the all-French roster with relative ease, an improved TeSeS could result in the team going one better after finishing last year’s PGL Cluj-Napoca in second place behind MOUZ.

Since returning to the top of Counter-Strike with a win at BLAST Open London 2025, G2 Esports has floated around the world’s top 10 teams, briefly showcasing its true potential.

The international roster began its season with a top-six finish in Kraków, falling to MOUZ in the quarter-finals. A strong showing from Matúš ‘matys’ Šimk against MOUZ and a thrilling Group Stage match against Team Spirit demonstrated that the roster is slowly gathering the momentum required to make a deep run in a high-profile tournament. 

Nevertheless, G2 Esports has the tricky task of competing against Team Vitality in its first PGL Cluj-Napoca match. Having shown it can give the likes of Team Spirit a run for its money, there’s a chance that G2 Esports can spring a surprise.

Aurora Gaming remained among the top teams throughout the 2025 season with frequent playoff appearances. However, a top-20 finish at the PGL Budapest Major rounded off a year where consistency was difficult to build on. 

The arrival of Caner ‘soulfly’ Kesici to the all-Turkish team has injected a new lease of life into the team. In addition to soulfly’s high-impact rifling, in-game leader Engin ‘MAJ3R’ Küpeli has also hit form, often keeping Aurora Gaming in contention against the very best opposition.

Aurora Gaming is no stranger to success at PGL-operated events, securing victory at Masters Bucharest 2025 with its previous line-up. An opening-round match against last-minute additions FUT Esports can lay the foundations for the team as it looks to continue its promising start to 2026.

FaZe Clan remains an enigma in Counter-Strike esports. On some occasions, all parts of the team fire on all cylinders to deliver excellent results on the big stage. On others, the team is outclassed in all areas, resulting in elimination from tournaments at the first hurdle.

The team played three matches at IEM Kraków, scoring a solitary victory against BC.Game before MOUZ sent the Red Militia packing with a 2-0 scoreline. Even on its own map picks, holes in the FaZe Clan offence and defence often appear, enabling its opposition to run away with leads that are impossible to overcome. 

Cluj-Napoca could yield plenty of VRS points to keep FaZe Clan among the teams receiving a direct invite to IEM Cologne Major Stage 3. Depending on which iteration of FaZe Clan decides to show up in Romania, its opening match against HEROIC will set the tone for what could prove to be a critical tournament for a team more than capable of contending for outright victory.