As a Tier 1 LAN tournament, PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 boasts a massive prize pool, a lineup of strong Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports teams, and world-class production. It’s an unmissable event and promises plenty of intense action on the server.
To prepare for the tournament, we’ve compiled a complete guide to PGL Masters Bucharest 2025. Join us in discussing the tournament format, schedule, prize pool, and teams competing. We’ll wrap up with our expert betting predictions.
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 Schedule & Format
From Oct. 26 to Nov. 1, PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 takes place on LAN at the state-of-the-art PGL Studios venue in Bucharest, Romania. The event was previously scheduled to conclude on Sunday, Nov. 2, but was shortened due to a scheduling conflict with IEM Chengdu 2025.
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 features two distinct stages of competition, starting with a 16-team Swiss System-format stage. All of those matches are best-of-three, with the top eight teams advancing to the Playoffs Stage.
In the Playoffs, the remaining teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket format. Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Third-Place matches are best-of-three, and the Grand Final is best-of-five.
Visit our comprehensive CS2 betting section for match start times and dates in your area.
Prize Pool Distribution
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 boasts a huge $1,250,000 prize pool, divided evenly between a Team Share for the players and a Club Share for the organizations. Check out the table below for the complete prize pool distribution.
| Place | Team Share | Club Share | Total Prize |
| 1st | $200,000 | $200,000 | $400,000 |
| 2nd | $93,750 | $93,750 | $187,500 |
| 3rd | $75,000 | $75,000 | $150,000 |
| 4th | $43,750 | $43,750 | $87,500 |
| 5th-8th | $31,250 | $31,250 | $62,500 |
| 9th-11th | $15,625 | $15,625 | $31,250 |
| 12th-14th | $9,375 | $9,375 | $18,750 |
| 15th-16th | $6,250 | $6,250 | $12,500 |
| Total | $625,000 | $625,000 | $1,250,000 |
How To Watch PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
There’s no better place to watch all the CS2 esports action than right here at Thunderpick, especially if you want to place some in-play wagers to turn the thrills up to 11. Visit our CS2 betting section, navigate to the “Live” tab, and select any PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 match. An official live stream and our bet slip will appear, so you can watch and make predictions simultaneously.
You can also visit the PGL Twitch, YouTube, and Kick channels to watch the tournament.
Get deep into the action with BetPeek
For those watching on Thunderpick, take control of the camera yourself with our exclusive BetPeek player. PGL Masters Bucharest is one of the eligible majors for players to spectate from any angle, follow any player and control what action you want to see.
Teams Competing In PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
PGL confirmed the team list for the event on September 29, based on the latest VRS standings at the time. Here is a list of all 16 teams competing at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025.
- Aurora Gaming
- 3DMAX
- Astralis
- Legacy
- HEROIC
- GamerLegion
- Team Liquid
- paiN Gaming
- BetBoom Team
- Fnatic
- SAW
- B8
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Gentle Mates
- FlyQuest
- MIBR
Most of the top ten teams on the VRS are not competing, so the trophy is wide open for the taking.
Our Predictions For PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
To make our PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 predictions, we diligently researched the latest available stats, including recent performances, VRS rankings (as of October 21), and expected team/player form.
We used the same research method as with our PGL Bucharest 2025 article, where we accurately predicted the winner, and PGL Astana 2025 article, where we accurately predicted the winner and runner-up.
Important: These predictions reflect the perceived strength of teams based on historical trends and the latest available odds. This analysis should not be interpreted as betting advice. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes. Always gamble responsibly.
Aurora Gaming
Turkish powerhouse Aurora Gaming continues to put up impressive performances. Led by Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli, who boasts nearly two decades of experience, Aurora Gaming is the highest-ranked team on the VRS (#9) at the start of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025.
Aurora Gaming recently entertained us with excellent form at the Thunderpick World Championship (TWC) 2025 LAN finals in Malta. The team lost in the Semifinals to eventual TWC 2025 champions, FURIA, and suffered a reverse-sweep in the third-place decider at the hands of TWC 2024 champions, The MongolZ. However, there’s confidence they can bounce back with vigor at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025.
Aurora Gaming roster:
- İsmailсan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş
- Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın
- Özgür “woxic” Eker
- Samet “jottAAA” Köklü
- Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli (IGL)
- Sezgin “Fabre” Kalaycı (Coach)
Legacy
At the CS Asia Championship (CAC) 2025, Brazilian side Legacy impressed to no end, winning their first-ever S-Tier trophy. With Lucas “lux” Meneghini calling the shots, Legacy flourished, and star player Bruno “latto” Rebelatto found peak form to pick up the MVP award.
Legacy made an incredible Playoffs run after claiming a second-place finish in Group A of CAC 2025. The squad put their big-match temperament on full display, with narrow 2-1 reverse-sweep comeback wins against FUT Esports and HEROIC to earn a spot in the Grand Final. In the CAC 2025 Grand Final, Legacy mounted a comeback from 1-2 down to beat 3DMAX with a score of 3-2, refusing to miss out on their first trophy.
Can Legacy lift back-to-back trophies at top-tier CS2 events? Signs point towards a strong possibility of at least a podium finish.
Legacy roster:
- Bruno “latto” Rebelatto
- Eduardo “dumau” Wolkmer
- Guilherme “saadzin” Pacheco
- Vinicius “n1ssim” Pereira
- Lucas “lux” Meneghini (IGL)
- Olavo “chucky” Napoleão (Coach)
Astralis
Consider Astralis claiming a third-place spot above 3DMAX, HEROIC, and Team Liquid as our bold prediction for PGL Masters Bucharest 2025. The squad made it past ESL Pro League Season 22’s Stage 1 before falling early in the main event, and managed a 5th-8th place finish at FISSURE Playground 2.
However, the Danish team showed moments of brilliance in these recent events. The four-time Major-winning duo of Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz and Emil “Magisk” Reif has reunited, with Martin “stavn” Lund moving to the bench in September.
At the start of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, Astralis is ranked #14 on the VRS and hungry to breach the top 10.
Astralis roster:
- Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz
- Victor “Staehr” Staehr
- Emil “Magisk” Reif
- Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard
- Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen (IGL)
- Casper “ruggah” Due (Coach)
3DMAX
As one of the favorites at the start of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, French side 3DMAX holds a #10 spot on the VRS. With every tournament, young IGL Filip “Graviti” Branković continues to show improvement, leading his team to strong performances and recent deep runs.
With a 5th-8th place finish at Esports World Cup, followed by an impressive 2nd-place finish at CAC 2025, 3DMAX is powering up. Since most of the top 10 CS2 esports teams are not in attendance, PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 presents a prime opportunity for the French side to lift their first significant LAN trophy.
3DMAX roster:
- Lucas “Lucky” Chastang
- Pierre “Ex3rcice” Bulinge
- Bryan “Maka” Canda
- Alexandre “bodyy” Pianaro
- Filip “Graviti” Branković (IGL)
- Pierre “YouKnow” Marco (Coach)
Who Will Win PGL Masters Bucharest 2025?
Will Turkish powerhouse Aurora Gaming claim the coveted trophy, or will an underdog surprise us with a deep run? With the likes of Astralis, HEROIC, Legacy, and 3DMAX in attendance, the podium is wide open.
CS2 esports fans can follow every second of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 right here at Thunderpick. Visit our CS2 betting page to watch live streams and place wagers on the action with your preferred cryptocurrency.
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