PGL

About

PGL organizes esports tournaments and produces their broadcasts, including Counter-Strike Majors and Dota 2's The International. Founded in Romania in 2002 and based in Bucharest, the company stages both competitions backed by game developers and its own tournament series.^[1][2]

Manila and Krakow

Its Dota 2 work included the Manila Major in 2016. PGL subsequently ran the 2017 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major in Krakow. The main tournament was scheduled for July 16 to 23, and the playoff venue was Tauron Arena.^[2][3]

Stockholm's production problems

The 2021 Stockholm Major drew criticism for persistent audio faults that affected the broadcast and arena experience. In a February 2022 interview, chief executive Silviu Stroie acknowledged PGL's responsibility and said network problems had forced the team to replace much of its digital audio setup with analog equipment. For Antwerp that year, the company took responsibility for the full competition cycle, including open qualifiers.^[4]

Counter-Strike 2 and Wallachia

In March 2024, PGL hosted the first Counter-Strike 2 Major in Copenhagen. The event brought together 24 teams and held its playoffs at the Royal Arena.^[5][1][2][6] That month it announced plans for at least eight Dota 2 LAN tournaments through 2026, each with a $1 million prize pool.^[7] The first Wallachia season took place in Bucharest in May 2024 and was won by Team Spirit.^[2]