Teams and players to watch

After the conclusion of IEM Kraków 2026, the attention of the Counter-Strike 2 community turns to PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026.

The next stop on the packed Tier 1 event calendar sees the world’s best teams in action again, competing for a share of their $625,000 (~£456.940) prize pool.

With several notable names in attendance and many teams looking to continue their momentum ahead of June’s Cologne Major, Esports Insider takes a look at the teams and players to watch throughout the tournament.

The French AWPer’s razor-sharp reflexes continue to be a key part of the team’s recent form of outstanding form in Tier 1 tournaments. In addition to his clinical accuracy with a sniper in hand, ZywOo rarely picks up a gun to make an impact at close ranges alongside the rest of his team.

Armed with excellent AWP and shotgun skills, ZywOo has the potential to lead Team Vitality to their eleventh Tier 1 trophy in the last 12 months. Team Vitality begins its campaign against Cluj-Napoca G2 Sports in the opening round of the Swiss stage games on February 14.

Even thought FaZe Clan magic or malpractice, Finn ‘Karrigan’ Andersen is still one of the most experienced Counter-Strike leaders competing in Tier 1 tournaments.

Although his game statistics rarely show up on the scoreboard, Karrigan continues to lead a team that hopes to recapture the form that saw him make an unprecedented run to the Grand Final of last year’s Budapest Major. During IEM Kraków, the Dane showed his ability with a clutch one against two against him MOUZ again 3DMAX before he exits the Group Stage.

Despite FaZe Clan’s hit-and-miss form, Karrigan maintains his place as an integral part of the team’s performance as it looks to find itself again.

The entrance of the Falcons team is very pleasant for René’TeSeS‘ Madsen has struggled to find consistency so far in 2026. However, he helped lead the team to the top of the standings.

Throughout Team Falcons’ IEM Kraków run, the Danish gunner suffered inconsistent performances despite occasional displays of clinical precision in high-pressure situations. Although the recent games did not favor TeSeS or his team, it is important to highlight that the team skipped Team Vitality this year and came second in BLAST Bounty Winter 2026.

PGL Cluj-Napoca provides a new opportunity for the Danes to rise again on the stage of another Tier 1 tournament. The Falcons will face 3DMAX in a rematch from the IEM Kraków Group Stage.

After sweeping aside the all-French lineup with ease, an improved TeSeS could lead the team to go one better after finishing last year’s PGL Cluj-Napoca in second place behind MOUZ.

He has since returned to the top of Counter-Strike by winning the BLAST Open London 2025, G2 Sports floated in the top 10 teams in the world, briefly showing its true power.

The international team started their season with a top-six finish in Krakow, falling to MOUZ in the quarter-finals. Strong show from Matúš’matys‘ Šimk against MOUZ and an exciting Group Stage match Team Spirit it showed that the lineup is slowly gathering the momentum needed to make a deep run at the top level.

However, G2 Esports has a tough task to compete against Team Vitality in their first PGL Cluj-Napoca match. If it has shown it can give the likes of Team Spirit a run for its money, there’s a chance G2 Esports could pull off a surprise.

Aurora Games remained among the top teams throughout the 2025 season in most playoff appearances. However, a top-20 finish at the PGL Budapest Major capped off a year where it was difficult to build on.

Caner’s Arrivala fly‘ Kesici in the entire Turkish team has injected new life into the team. In addition to soulfly shooting, the mid-game leader Engin’MAJ3R‘ Küpeli struck form again, mostly to keep Aurora Gaming in contention against excellent opposition.

Aurora Gaming knows success in events run by PGL, to defend to win the Masters Bucharest 2025 in its previous edition. The opening game against a last-minute addition FUT Sports could lay the foundation for the club as it looks set to continue its promising start until 2026.

FaZe Clan remains an enigma in Counter-Strike gaming. At other times, all parts of the band are firing on all cylinders to deliver the best results on the big stage. For others, the team is outclassed in all areas, leading to disqualification from the competition at the first hurdle.

The team played three games at IEM Kraków, scoring one victory BC. The game before MOUZ sent Red Militia packing with a 2-0 scoreline. Even in its map selection, holes in FaZe Clan’s offense and defense often appear, making its opposition run away with impossible tracks to overcome.

Cluj-Napoca could produce more VRS points to keep FaZe Clan among the teams receiving a direct invite to the IEM Cologne Major Stage 3. Depending on which iteration of FaZe Clan decides to appear in Romania, its opening match against HEROIC will set the tone for what could be an important tournament for a team that can fight for a deserved victory.