Astana welcomes the world’s best CS2 teams for the first time.
From the famous Astana Dragons of old to modern day major champions like HObbit and AdreN, Kazakhstan is an underrated powerhouse in Counter-Strike — and home fans will get the chance to prove it when PGL Astana 2025 kicks off on May 10.
It’s the first big event to be held in the Kazakhstani capital, and alongside the chance to play in front of a huge audience, vital VRS points will be up for grabs for those attending.
Here’s a look at PGL Astana 2025 including a full schedule, team list, standings, and how you can watch live.
PGL Astana 2025 format and teams
Barys Arena awaits the top eight. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
Competitive Counter-Strike debuts in the Kazakhstani capital for the first time in 2025 and PGL is pulling out all the stops. PGL Astana is an S-tier VRS tournament meaning there’s plenty up for grabs for attendees; the event’s prize pool comes in at an impressive $625,000 USD, and the finals will be played in front of a live audience in the Barys Arena from May 16 to 18.
The 16 teams (12 via VRS invites, four via regional qualifiers) will play through a best-of-three Swiss stage. The top eight teams (three wins each) will proceed to the playoffs, while the bottom eight (three losses) will head home.
Surviving teams then head to the arena to play out a single-elimination bracket with the champ walking away $200,000 richer, meaning a big jump up the VRS standings.
Unlike previous PGL events this year, some of the biggest teams aren’t skipping out, with the likes of Spirit and NaVi hoping to secure invite spots at the Austin Major. Here is the team list for PGL Astana 2025:
| VRS Invites (as at March 10) |
Team Spirit The MongolZ Eternal Fire G2 Esports Natus Vincere Astralis paiN Gaming Virtus.pro |
| Regional Qualifiers | European Qualifier: Ninjas in Pyjamas North American Qualifier: M80 South American Qualifier: ODDIK Asian Qualifier: HOTU |
PGL Astana 2025 schedule, results, and standings
Swiss stage
Swiss stage. (Screenshot via Liquipedia)
All match times are in CEST (UTC+2).
Saturday, May 10 – Round 1
- 7am: Aurora 1-2 BIG | Astralis 2-1 ODDIK
- 10am: MongolZ 2-1 FURIA | G2 1-2 MIBR
- 1pm: NaVi 2-0 M80 | VP 1-1 NiP
- 4pm: Spirit vs. GamerLegion | paiN vs. HOTU
- 7am: TBD vs. TBD (1-0) | TBD vs. TBD (0-1)
- 10am: TBD vs. TBD (1-0) | TBD vs. TBD (0-1)
- 1pm: TBD vs. TBD (1-0) | TBD vs. TBD (0-1)
- 4pm: TBD vs. TBD (1-0) | TBD vs. TBD (0-1)
Tuesday, May 13 – Round 4
- 7am: TBD vs. TBD (2-1) | TBD vs. TBD (1-2)
- 10am: TBD vs. TBD (2-1) | TBD vs. TBD (1-2)
- 1pm: TBD vs. TBD (2-1) | TBD vs. TBD (1-2)
Wednesday, May 14 – Round 5
Playoffs
Playoffs. (Screenshot via Liquipedia)
The playoff stage for PGL Astana 2025 has not been drawn yet. Check back soon!
Standings
Here are the standings for PGL Astana 2025:
| 1st | $200,000 | TBD |
| 2nd | $93,750 | TBD |
| 3rd | $75,000 | TBD |
| 4th | $43,750 | TBD |
| 5th-8th | $31,250 | TBD, TBD, TBD, TBD |
| 9th-11th | $15,625 | TBD, TBD, TBD |
| 12th-14th | $9,375 | TBD, TBD, TBD |
| 15th-16th | $6,250 | TBD, TBD |
How to watch PGL Astana 2025: All streams
Broadcasts in other languages may be available. Head to the event’s Liquipedia page for a stream-by-stream breakdown. Those looking to attend the live finals at the Barys Arena, tickets are on sale here.
