Big teams skip PGL Cluj-Napoca as reality of new CS2 circuit sets in

I’ve got to admit, I was extremely disappointed when I saw the list of invited teams to PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025. Surprised? No. But disappointed nonetheless. With PGL announcing the full list of teams invited to its first CS2 event of the year, we’re seeing the reality of the packed new circuit come to the fore.

The full list of the 16 PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 VRS invited teams is as follows:

Notice anything interesting? Despite the eye-watering $1.25 million prize pool, several of the scene’s top teams right now, including Team Spirit, G2, NAVI, Vitality, and Team Liquid, have all decided to skip PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 to focus their priorities elsewhere. Valve’s new system forces tournament organizers to invite teams based on world ranking, so we know they were asked, at a minimum.

Even before Valve launched the new circuit, it was evident that this would happen. There are simply too many events in the CS2 calendar at this point, and sure, you could attend them all, but you risk severely burning out your players and likely tanking your results. We saw what happens when teams start to run on empty throughout 2024, when FaZe Clan and NAVI started to fall off after several consecutive Grand Final appearances.

It’s almost a shame that it’s a PGL event as the first casualty of this sort of thing. Given how established the two have been over the last few years, you’re likely not going to see teams turn down BLAST and ESL events, meaning the scene will largely feel the same as it has done. I know I’m not alone in saying I’m looking forward to seeing what a fresh perspective can bring with these TOs, but without the top teams, it won’t quite feel the same.

PGL Cluj-Napoca’s Prestige Takes a Hit

Admittedly, this is all a tad dramatic. We will see some of the best CS2 teams at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, but therein lies the problem: some. The teams at the top of the VRS standings choosing to skip utterly sinks the prestige of this event. And that reflects badly on the eventual winner, too. If FaZe win it, then sure, they’ll be happy with their Scrooge McDuck-esque pile of money as winnings, but as elite competitors, they won’t be as satisfied as if they won IEM Katowice or Cologne, for example. Then, if you have teams like The MongolZ or Eternal Fire winning it, they’ll feel a lingering sense that their first Tier 1 event win was only a result of the lower level of competition. Bleh.

Of all the events to skip, PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 is an interesting choice. Looking at the calendar, it begins five days after IEM Katowice concludes. Obviously, I reckon the top teams back themselves to go all the way, but even then, the journey from Poland to Romania isn’t exactly a long and grueling one. With Cluj-Napoca ending on 23rd February, these big teams wouldn’t make an appearance until March 7th, when their stage of ESL Pro League S21 begins. As it stands, a team skipping PGL Cluj-Napoca who appears in the Grand Final of IEM Katowice 2025 won’t be seen for nearly a month, which is crazy to think about.

As the only Tier 1 event during this period, I’ll still be tuned in and excited to PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025. Just considerably less so, knowing the very best CS2 teams won’t be there.