PGL returns to Poland nearly a decade after Gambit’s Major victory.
For nearly a decade the Polish city of Kraków has sat idly by, watching premier CS2 tournaments play out in its sister city of Katowice. But now, years on from the PGL Kraków Major, the same tournament organizer is planning a return to the TAURON Arena.
As part of Valve's tournament schedule guidelines, PGL has announced its first event for 2027 to be held in Kraków, Poland — and it's already clashing with another event planned that week.
Update, Feb. 11 at 5:48pm CET: PGL has abruptly announced the cancelation of the event in Kraków in 2027. The organizer received a message from a TAURON Arena representative stating the Municipality of Kraków "will be a host city and co-organizer of [a] cyclical event which will take place in January for the next three years" and thus cannot lock PGL into use of the arena.
"While this decision is beyond our control, we remain determined to find a world-class venue to deliver the exceptional event that the esports community deserves and don't follow a questionable or hidden agenda," PGL said in a statement.
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A PGL return over a decade in the making
PGL announced the event will kick-off its 2027 circuit in a Feb. 11 press release. PGL Kraków 2027 will take place between Jan. 13 and 25 — 3,461 days after Gambit Esports lifted the Major trophy in front of a packed TAURON Arena against Brazilian squad Immortals.
Not since has Kraków residents witnessed S-tier Counter-Strike, but PGL is making a show of it given its milestone status. "PGL Major Kraków 2017 was a landmark moment for us and the esports community," PGL chief executive Silviu Stroie said, adding he was excited to "build upon this legacy."
PGL originally planned its first 2027 event for early February, but has now moved it up to just after the player break. This likely means PGL will open the 2027 competitive CS2 season in Kraków.
A second event, held in mid-March, is already in the planning stages but its location is yet to be revealed. The organizer has already locked in events in Astana, Belgrade, and Bucharest over the next two years.
It's already looking like a packed start to 2027 with ESL, BLAST, and FISSURE among the main organizers planning events for the start of the calendar year. BLAST's first Bounty event of 2027 will run in tandem with PGL Kraków, meaning teams will be made to choose which to attend.
PGL's first event for 2025, held in the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca, begins this week. For more CS2 news and coverage stay tuned to esports.gg!
