Donk Storms to His First MVP of 2026 at PGL Astana
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets captured his first HLTV × 1XBET MVP of 2026 after steering Spirit to victory at PGL Astana. His 1.61 overall event rating, 0.98 KPR and +5.82% round swing made him the most awarded rifler in CS2 history, surpassing NiKo and GeT_RiGhT. The performance ranks as the second‑best MVP rating ever recorded at a CS2 big event. Donk’s surge follows Spirit’s resurgence at IEM Rio and sets the stage for a showdown with Vitality at the Cologne Major.
Lynn Vision Qualify for Esports World Cup
Lynn Vision secured a berth in the 2026 Esports World Cup after winning the Hero Esports Asian Champions League in Shanghai. The Chinese squad defeated JiJieHao 3‑1 in the final, earning $80,000 and the tournament’s sole World Cup qualification slot....
PGL to Host March 2027 Event in Lodz
PGL announced that its third 2027 tournament will take place in Łódź, Poland, at the 15,000‑seat Atlas Arena from March 18‑28. The event marks the organizer’s first return to the country since the 2017 Kraków Major after a cancelled Kraków venue...
S0tF1k on Future with Spirit's Main Team: "We Will See After Astana"
Spirit clinched a dominant semi‑final win at PGL Astana, losing only five rounds to MOUZ and earning a second straight grand‑final berth after its IEM Rio title‑decider run. Interim academy coach Dmitry “S0tF1k” Forostyanko, filling in for head coach Sergey...
Media: Esports World Cup 2026 to Be Held in Paris
The 2026 Esports World Cup will be staged in Paris after escalating tensions in Iran forced organizers to relocate. The seven‑week festival begins on July 6, featuring 24 titles and a $75 million prize pool. Counter‑Strike: Global Offensive will close the event...
Jame: "We Were Ready for the Slump to Happen Soon, so We Are Not Experiencing Shock and Horror From Our...
PARIVISION was eliminated in the group stage of PGL Astana 2026 after a 1‑2 loss to G2, capping a turbulent tournament that also featured a win over Fisher College and defeats to 9z and Aurora. Captain Jame highlighted a recent...
Ropz: "IEM Atlanta Is Not a Priority Event for Us, but We Don't Want to Go Home with Regrets"
Team Vitality entered IEM Atlanta as heavy favorites while chasing a sixth consecutive trophy, but a week off left them rusty. After a solid win over BC.Game they were stunned 2‑1 by BetBoom, marking their only loss to a non‑Falcons...
Vitality Reach IEM Atlanta Playoffs Through Lower Bracket; BetBoom Secure Semi-Final Seed
Vitality clinched a spot in the IEM Atlanta playoffs with a decisive 2‑0 victory over B8 on Mirage and Dust2, highlighted by strong performances from ZywOo and flameZ. Meanwhile, BetBoom defeated paiN 2‑0, securing a direct seed in the tournament...
The MongolZ to Face Aurora in Astana Round 5
The PGL Astana group stage reaches its fifth round as The MongolZ (ranked #8) take on Aurora (#6) in a pivotal 2‑2 pool showdown. The match, scheduled for 11:00 UTC on 13 May, is the third encounter between the two sides, with...
FURIA Beat GM to Secure Astana Playoffs
FURIA secured a PGL Astana playoff spot by defeating Gentle Mates 2‑1, taking the series 13‑11 on Nuke, 10‑13 on Overpass and 13‑6 on Inferno. The win grants the Kazakh‑born AWPer Danil “molodoy” Golubenko a home‑crowd match at Barys Arena,...
M0NESY and Kyousuke Combine as Falcons Come Back to Beat The MongolZ
Falcons secured a spot in the PGL Astana playoffs after a dramatic comeback against The MongolZ, erasing a 4‑10 deficit on Mirage and winning in overtime. Russian duo m0NESY and kyousuke combined for 38 kills in the final 14 rounds,...
Xelex on Adapting: "I Don't Want to Die because I Misplayed, I Just Want to Die because I Whiffed"
Seventeen‑year‑old Adrian “xelex” Vincze made his first major‑stage appearance at PGL Astana, debuting as a full‑time rifler on MOUZ’s main roster. He praised the team’s chemistry, especially IGL xertioN’s “crazy” leadership, while acknowledging a steep learning curve adapting to new...
HEROIC Bow Out of PGL Astana to Magic
Swedish outfit HEROIC was eliminated from the PGL Astana 2026 tournament after a 2‑1 loss to world‑ranked team magic. The defeat followed earlier setbacks against FURIA and Gentle Mates, eroding the confidence built from a 2‑0 win over Aurora on...
![Dumau: "[ArT]'s Trying to Find a Balance, for What We Like and What He Sees in the Game"](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://img-cdn.hltv.org/gallerypicture/Tzvm-cdxkei0V_1jlVLByK.jpg?auto=compress&ixlib=java-2.1.0&m=%2Fm.png&mw=107&mx=20&my=473&q=75&w=800&s=5b2afca10fd7b7c18dcadce1e09b292e)
Dumau: "[ArT]'s Trying to Find a Balance, for What We Like and What He Sees in the Game"
Legacy defeated M80 2‑0 at IEM Atlanta 2026, earning a spot against Astralis and momentum before the IEM Cologne Major. The win follows a mixed 2026 season that saw a top‑eight finish at ESL Pro League but early exits in...
Aurora Send PARIVISION to 1-2 Bracket in Astana
Aurora secured a 2‑0 victory over PARIVISION at the PGL Astana Major, advancing to the 1‑2 bracket and moving within one match of the playoffs. The team dominated Anubis 13‑7 and edged Dust2 16‑14, thanks to clutch performances on both...
YEKINDAR: "At some Point We Maybe Lost Our Identity a Little Bit"
FURIA is one win away from securing a home‑arena berth for Danil “molodoy” Golubenko after decisive victories over Monte and HEROIC at PGL Astana. The team rebounded from a last‑place finish at BLAST Rivals Fort Worth, citing a post‑Rivals mindset...
FURIA to Meet Spirit for Playoff Spot on PGL Astana Day Three
Day three of the PGL Astana Major sees the Swiss bracket tighten as FURIA faces Spirit for a coveted playoff spot. After 9z upset the Falcons, FURIA sits one win away from the Barys Arena, while Luciano “luchov” Herrera’s squad...
9z Keep Astana Upset Run Alive at Expense of Lacklustre Falcons
South American squad 9z kept their PGL Astana run alive by defeating Falcons 2-1 in a best-of-three, winning Mirage 13-8, losing Nuke 9-13, and dominating Dust2 13-1. The victory puts 9z one win away from the playoffs after an earlier...
Alex: "This Was the First 2-1 Win Since February, and We Needed It to Break some Mental Barriers"
Spanish CS:GO organization Gentle Mates broke a two‑month slump with a 2‑1 win over K27 at PGL Astana, their first such victory since February. The win follows a string of early exits at IEM Rio, Stake Ranked Episode 1 and a...
BIT: "It's Good to Be Here, Honestly We Never Know How Good We're Going to Be because We're Not Used...
Argentinian CS:GO organization 9z secured a 2‑0 sweep over PARIVISION in the opening Swiss match of the PGL Astana Major qualifier, highlighted by standout CT play from Luciano “luchov” Herrera on Inferno and a high‑rated Ancient performance by Franco “dgt”...
9z Begin Astana Campaign with Dominant Win over PARIVISION
South American roster 9z opened the PGL Astana group stage with a convincing 2‑0 sweep over European side PARIVISION, winning Inferno 13‑6 and Ancient 13‑8. The victory was anchored by Luciano “luchov” Herrera’s 1.78 rating and two aces on Inferno,...
The Best Highlights From PGL Astana Group Stage
The PGL Astana group stage delivered a torrent of high‑octane CS2 moments, from MOUZ’s four one‑deag kills to torzsi’s multiple AWP 4‑kill rounds. Luchov topped the Inferno leaderboard with a 2.68 rating, while NiKo’s clutch 2v3 secured a crucial win...
Cobrazera: "We Rested and We Have so Much Energy, so We Will Do Better From Bucharest"
MongolZ returned to the PGL Astana stage after a month‑long hiatus and fell 3‑10 to Magic, needing four overtimes to finally clinch the map. The team, which placed third at PGL Bucharest, used the break for rest, limited practice with...
Falcons Move Past K27 on Karrigan's Debut
Falcons advanced to the 1‑0 Swiss pool at PGL Astana after a 2‑0 sweep of K27, marking Finn "karrigan" Andersen's debut with the roster. The team secured a comfortable Dust2 win before edging out Ancient in the final round of...
MOUZ Debut with Narrow Win over Gentle Mates
MOUZ introduced Justinas “jL” Lekavicius and Adrian “xelex” Vincze while promoting Dorian “xertioN” Berman to in‑game leader, then eked out a 16‑14 overtime win over Gentle Mates. The team struggled on the T side, needing overtime to close Nuke, but...
![Chr1zN: "In Cluj We Weren't Ready for It [...] Now It's Going to Be Much Better"](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://img-cdn.hltv.org/gallerypicture/BG15rD_zRzo9iut_w7t0lZ.jpg?auto=compress&ixlib=java-2.1.0&m=%2Fm.png&mw=107&mx=20&my=473&q=75&w=800&s=50dda25c8a822d68ffb190e003313dcb)
Chr1zN: "In Cluj We Weren't Ready for It [...] Now It's Going to Be Much Better"
Heroic kicked off the PGL Astana tournament with a clean 2‑0 victory over Aurora, a win that felt especially sweet for newcomer xfl0ud. In an interview, captain Chr1zN explained the squad finally feels ready after a month of focused practice,...
JL: "It's a Good Chance for MOUZ to Try Me Out; if They Don't Like It, They're Not Gonna Go...
Lithuanian AWPer Justinas “jL” Lekavicius returns to tier‑one competition after a ten‑month hiatus, joining German outfit MOUZ on a loan from NAVI for the PGL Astana and CIS‑Asia Championship events. He describes the move as a chance to shake off...
Karrigan the Most-Picked Fantasy Player as PGL Astana About to Start
Finn "karrigan" Andersen, the 36‑year‑old Danish veteran, tops the fantasy leaderboards for the upcoming PGL Astana 2026 group stage, appearing in more than half of all user‑created lineups. His Falcons squad sits third in the Swiss‑format standings and is projected...
Karrigan Interview: Leaving FaZe, Joining Falcons, and First Impressions
Finn "karrigan" Andersen announced his departure from FaZe after nearly seven years to become the new in‑game leader of Team Falcons. The veteran IGL hopes to end Falcons' title drought that began with a PGL Bucharest win in April 2025 and...
Degster: "I'm More than Ready to Play; I'm Super Motivated"
Former CS2 AWPer Abdul “degster” Gasanov, a 24‑year‑old ex‑Spirit and Falcons player, announced he is in peak physical condition and ready to join a new organization despite a year away from tier‑1 competition. He highlighted his MVP performance at the...
Nafany Enters Free Agency
Vladislav “nafany” Gorshkov’s contract with the now‑defunct AMKAL has expired, placing the veteran Russian IGL in free agency. He continues to compete with the ad‑hoc TDK squad while remaining open to solo offers or a full‑lineup acquisition. The move follows...
9INE Bench Bnox
Polish CS:GO rifler Bartosz “bnox” has been benched by 9INE, ending a six‑month stint that began in December 2025. The move follows the earlier removal of Jan “cej0t” Dyl, marking a double roster shake‑up as the team struggles to deliver...
Short News: Week 18
Acend announced the departure of Bulgarian AWPer Slaven “AwaykeN” Lyubenov, who was replaced last month by Deyvid “h4rn” Benchev. AwaykeN posted a farewell on X, saying he’s looking for a new team as an AWPer. Meanwhile, M80 climbed to 24th...
Karrigan to Debut for Falcons vs K27 as PGL Astana Opening Match-Ups Revealed
PGL Astana 2026 will launch on May 9 with a $1.6 million LAN prize pool. The opening slate pits the Falcons, now led by veteran IGL Finn “karrigan” Andersen, against K27, a squad bolstered by short‑term loan star Petr “fame” Bolyshev. With powerhouses...
![ZywOo: "For Once, I'll Say I Robbed [My Teammates of the MVP]"](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/994ca956fc9a5b8b8061d9b111899328.webp)
ZywOo: "For Once, I'll Say I Robbed [My Teammates of the MVP]"
French CS:GO star Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut claimed the MVP award at BLAST Rivals despite calling the event his “shittiest tournament” individually. He joked that he “robbed” teammates ropz and flameZ of the honor, after they each took MVP at previous...
ZywOo Claims BLAST Rivals MVP
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut captured his 32nd MVP award at BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1, leading Team Vitality to a fifth consecutive tournament title. He posted a 1.27 rating, highlighted by a 2.18‑rated Dust 2 performance in the grand‑final against Natus Vincere. ZywOo out‑performed teammates...
Vitality Sweep NAVI to Win Their Fifth Title in a Row at BLAST Rivals S1
Team Vitality cemented its dominance in early 2026 by sweeping Natus Vincere 3‑0 in the BLAST Rivals Season 1 grand final. The French squad extended its playoff map win streak to 27 consecutive maps and now boasts 15 straight grand‑final map victories....
PGL Astana Talent Unveiled
PGL has unveiled a 15‑person broadcast talent roster for the Astana 2026 tournament, which runs May 9‑17. Desk hosting duties go to veterans Richard Lewis and Sam Wright, while James Banks will serve as stage host and interviewer. The analyst panel features Sudhen Wahengbam, Alex Ellenberg,...
ApEX: "I'm This Annoying Older Man Who Just Keeps Repeating, 'Guys, Let's Fucking Go Again. I Know You're Fried, but...
Vitality’s in‑game leader Dan “apEX” Madesclaire discussed the team’s 2‑0 semi‑final win over GamerLegion at BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1, which secured a best‑of‑five grand‑final against Natus Vincere. He acknowledged lingering fatigue but stressed the squad’s hunger to win more trophies and...
![Aleksib: "Makazze [Has] Ancient as His Wallpaper on His Phone"](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/cdc9b47c6905cf3cf91a8e2e75d73182.webp)
Aleksib: "Makazze [Has] Ancient as His Wallpaper on His Phone"
Natus Vincere (Na'Vi) advanced to the BLAST Rivals grand final after a decisive 13‑5 Dust2 win and a hard‑fought 16‑14 victory over FaZe on Ancient. In‑game leader Aleksandur "Aleksib" Virolainen highlighted the team's mental reset, noting they now have "nothing...
FERJEE Rainhas Do Clutch 2026 Finals to Feature $50,000 Prize Pool
FERJEE, Rio de Janeiro’s state e‑sports federation, announced the 2026 Rainhas do Clutch women’s Counter‑Strike tournament will go international, running June 23‑26 in Rio with a total $50,000 prize pool ($30,000 for players and $20,000 for clubs). Four slots are earned...
![Hypex: "I'm Excited to See What Vitality Are Like [on Stage]"](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/bdd31ac43c1585953c94fc1a45d044db.webp)
Hypex: "I'm Excited to See What Vitality Are Like [on Stage]"
GamerLegion stunned Astralis with a 2‑0 win after rallying from a 4‑12 deficit on Inferno, securing a spot in the BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 semifinals in Fort Worth, Texas. AWPer Milan “hypex” Polowiec described the arena atmosphere as electrifying and...
BOROS Barred From ACL 2026 over Discriminatory Language
Hero Esports announced that its star player Mohammad “BOROS” Malhas is barred from the 2026 Asian Champions League after a video surfaced showing him using racially discriminatory language toward Chinese teammates. The tournament organizer issued a formal warning to Alter Ego...
GamerLegion Move to Rivals Semis over Astralis
GamerLegion secured a spot in the BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 semi‑finals by beating Astralis 2‑0, taking the first map on Overpass (13‑8) and rallying from a 4‑12 deficit to win Inferno 16‑14 in overtime. The victory follows their earlier 2‑1...
Enkay J on FURIA Win: "I'm Happy for the Boys because They've Been Through a Lot of Shit"
FaZe Clan secured a spot in the BLAST Rivals playoffs after a dramatic 2‑v‑4 retake on Nuke against FURIA. New coach Niclas “enkay J” Krumhorn said the squad’s morale is high and integration has been smooth despite recent roster turbulence. He...
FaZe Humiliate FURIA to Make Rivals Playoffs
FaZe clinched a 2‑1 victory over FURIA in the lower‑bracket match of BLAST Rivals Fort Worth, securing a spot in the quarter‑finals. Twistzz, playing his second game as in‑game leader, orchestrated dominant Dust2 and Nuke maps, including a last‑second 2v4...
![SunPayus: "I'm Being More Curious [...] Instead of Being so Judgmental, and that Is Really Helping"](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://img-cdn.hltv.org/gallerypicture/Yu1BXxF_QaHnf3gEyrpnXi.jpg?auto=compress&ixlib=java-2.1.0&m=%2Fm.png&mw=107&mx=20&my=474&q=75&w=800&s=d797f919e47721595d69c8a5366cd844)
SunPayus: "I'm Being More Curious [...] Instead of Being so Judgmental, and that Is Really Helping"
G2 AWPer Álvaro “SunPayus” García says a shift toward curiosity and away from self‑judgment is sharpening his focus each round. He highlighted a recent rating dip to 1.15 after a Dust2 loss to Vitality, despite earlier 1.35‑1.41 performances. SunPayus praised...
LauNX-Less FUT Out in Last Place at BLAST Rivals
FUT finished last at BLAST Rivals after a 0‑2 defeat to Astralis in the Group A lower bracket. The team played without star rifler launX, who missed the event due to a stomach ulcer, and struggled to secure early kills, posting...
NAVI Move Past New-Look FaZe to Make Playoffs
Natus Vincere advanced to the BLAST Rivals Fort Worth playoffs by defeating FaZe Clan 2‑0. The Russian squad dominated the first map, Anubis, leveraging a strong 11‑1 halftime lead and multi‑kills from makazze and b1t. On Ancient, makazze’s 42‑31 kill‑death ratio and...
HuNter-: "I'm Really Happy I Skipped Rio because I Saw What My Teammates Are Capable Of"
G2 Esports swept Astralis 2‑0 at BLAST Rivals in Fort Worth, showcasing dominant play on Dust 2 and Overpass. The victory marked the return of captain Nemanja “huNter‑” Kovač, who missed IEM Rio due to a leg injury. huNter‑ praised the...