Team Spirit and 9z Team were the first two teams to secure playoff berths at the $800,000 PGL Astana 2026 on Monday, winning their Round 3 High Matches by 2-1 scores in Kazakhstan.
Spirit defeated FURIA 2-1, while 9z outlasted MOUZ, pushing both squads to a 3-0 record in the Swiss System group stage—enough to advance.
FURIA and MOUZ will have at least two more chances, as they move into the Round 4 High Matches on Tuesday. The fifth round follows on Wednesday.
The group stage continues through Wednesday, with all fixtures best-of-three in the Swiss format. The top eight teams will qualify for single-elimination playoffs, which also feature best-of-three matches until the best-of-five grand final on May 17. The champion earns $256,000.
On Monday, Spirit won 13-8 on Dust II and 13-11 on Mirage, with FURIA salvaging a 16-12 overtime win on Overpass. Russia’s Danil “donk” Kryshkovets led all players with 71 kills for Spirit.
9z beat MOUZ 13-10 on Nuke, lost 13-4 on Inferno, then bounced back 13-9 on Ancient. Argentina’s Luciano “luchov” Herrera posted a match-high 49 kills for the South American club.
All four Round 3 Mid Matches ended in 2-0 sweeps: Gentle Mates blanked HEROIC, Aurora Gaming beat PARIVISION, Team Falcons defeated Monte, and The MongolZ swept G2 Esports. Those four winners now enter the Round 4 High Matches.
The Round 3 Low Matches brought the first two eliminations. Magic shut out K27 2-0, and The Huns Esports did the same to Fisher College.
The tournament resumes Tuesday with six fixtures:
– MOUZ vs. Aurora Gaming (Round 4 High)
– The MongolZ vs. Team Falcons (Round 4 High)
– FURIA vs. Gentle Mates (Round 4 High)
– HEROIC vs. magic (Round 4 Low)
– Monte vs. The Huns Esports (Round 4 Low)
– PARIVISION vs. G2 Esports (Round 4 Low)
**Group stage standings:**
– T1. Team Spirit, 3-0
– T1. 9z Team, 3-0
– T3. MOUZ, 2-1
– T3. FURIA, 2-1
– T3. The MongolZ, 2-1
– T3. Team Falcons, 2-1
– T3. Aurora Gaming, 2-1
– T3. Gentle Mates, 2-1
– T9. HEROIC, 1-2
– T9. PARIVISION, 1-2
– T9. Monte, 1-2
– T9. The Huns Esports, 1-2
– T9. G2 Esports, 1-2
– T9. magic, 1-2
– T15. K27, 0-3
– T15. Fisher College, 0-3
**Prize pool distribution:**
1. $256,000
2. $120,000
3. $96,000
4. $56,000
5-8. $40,000
9-11. $20,000
12-14. $12,000
15-16. $8,000 (K27, Fisher College)
