BLAST Rivals Hong Kong field confirmed as The MongolZ open PGL Masters Bucharest against Aurora on 24 Oct

The Counter-Strike 2 schedule for late 2026 became clearer on Friday, 16 October, when the team list for BLAST Rivals Season 2 in Hong Kong and the opening matches of PGL Masters Bucharest were announced on the same day. Spirit, Vitality, MOUZ, Legacy, G2, Falcons, FURIA and FUT will play in Hong Kong in November. Before that, Bucharest starts on Saturday, 24 October, with a 16-team field that includes The MongolZ, who will be playing their first tier-one event.

BLAST Rivals Season 2: eight teams in Hong Kong

HLTV reported that BLAST Rivals Season 2 runs until 15 November and that its prize pool is US$1 million. Esports.net reported that US$650,000 of that goes to clubs and US$350,000 to players. The final days of the playoffs are at AsiaWorld-Expo, near Hong Kong's airport at Chek Lap Kok. Invitations were based on Valve's global rankings for October, and HLTV pointed out that all of the current top five teams are going.

The eight teams are split into two double-elimination groups. The playoffs are single elimination, with best-of-three matches leading to a best-of-five final.

Hong Kong is in the same time zone as Malaysia, so the matches will be on at sensible hours for viewers here.

PGL Masters Bucharest opens on 24 October

PGL Masters Bucharest runs from 24 to 31 October at PGL's studio in the Romanian capital, with a prize pool of US$1.25 million split evenly between players and clubs. Sixteen teams play a Swiss group stage of best-of-three matches. The top eight go through to a single-elimination playoff bracket, and the grand final is best-of-five.

These are the opening matches on Saturday, 24 October, in Malaysia time:

• 3pm: Aurora v The MongolZ; FUT v TYLOO
• 6pm: MOUZ v Team Liquid; Spirit v the Russian roster featuring Boombl4
• 9pm: Vitality v 9z; Legacy v Nemiga
• Midnight (Sunday, 25 October): G2 v Natus Vincere; FURIA v DENDELE

Storylines to follow

The MongolZ, with nin9 on their roster, will be playing at tier-one level for the first time. Their first opponents, Aurora, are playing the Malta event this weekend. Further down the field, Chinese side TYLOO open against FUT, who give a debut to their new AWPer, Alvaro "SunPayus" Garcia.

HLTV described the G2 v Natus Vincere match as important in the race for a PGL Major Singapore place. Nemiga could secure their place at the Major by reaching the Bucharest playoffs. Major invitations are set on 2 November, so Bucharest is the last big event before the cut-off for several teams.

Some teams have a busy few weeks ahead. Falcons, FURIA and Aurora are in the Malta semi-finals this weekend, and Falcons and FURIA are among the teams due in Hong Kong in November.

Key dates in Malaysia time

• 24 October, 3pm: PGL Masters Bucharest opening matches start
• 25 October, 12am: G2 v Natus Vincere and FURIA v DENDELE
• 31 October: PGL Masters Bucharest final day
• 2 November: PGL Major Singapore invite cut-off
• 15 November: BLAST Rivals Season 2 ends in Hong Kong

Key takeaways

• BLAST Rivals Season 2 in Hong Kong: Spirit, Vitality, MOUZ, Legacy, G2, Falcons, FURIA and FUT, with a US$1 million prize pool.
• PGL Masters Bucharest runs from 24 to 31 October with 16 teams and US$1.25 million in prize money.
• The MongolZ play Aurora at 3pm Malaysia time on 24 October in their first tier-one event.
• G2 v Natus Vincere, at midnight Malaysia time, could matter for PGL Major Singapore invites.

FAQ

When does PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 start in Malaysia time? The first matches are at 3pm Malaysia time on Saturday, 24 October, and the last opening-day matches start at midnight.

Which teams are playing BLAST Rivals Season 2 in Hong Kong? Spirit, Vitality, MOUZ, Legacy, G2, Falcons, FURIA and FUT.

How were the BLAST Rivals teams chosen? They were invited using Valve's global team rankings from October 2026.

Sources: HLTV, Hotspawn, Esports.net