PGL Wallachia Season 7 preview: groups, prize pool, format and extra

The Dota 2 scene is firing up, as among the high groups set their sights on PGL Wallachia Season 7. As the primary Dota 2 occasion organised by PGL this yr, the extremely anticipated event might be an early indicator of the state of the scene and the strongest groups to date in 2026.

With the qualifiers concluded, among the high groups that outlined 2025 are set to assemble in Bucharest, Romania to safe their title in PGL historical past. With previous champions, worldwide winners and regional underdogs, action-packed matches await later in March.

From the highest groups to regulate, to the format of the event, and the prize pool distribution, right here is every little thing to find out about PGL Wallachia Season 7.

PGL Wallachia Season 7 will begin with the Group Stage on March seventh and conclude with the Grand Finals on March fifteenth, 2026.

The seventh version of the Dota 2 event might be held as an offline LAN occasion, with matches going down within the PGL Studio in Bucharest, Romania, on the Europe West server.

Season 7 is the primary of three PGL Wallachia Dota 2 occasions deliberate for the 2026 season, and can conclude per week earlier than ESL One Birmingham begins.

Sixteen groups, each invited and certified, will face off throughout varied phases to say the lion’s share of PGL Wallachia Season 7’s $1m (~£729,710) prize pool.

Twelve groups have accepted invites despatched by PGL, which have been revealed again on January twenty sixth, 2026. These embody well-known organisations that outlined 2025, together with OG, Natus Vincere and Aurora Gaming, alongside The Worldwide champions like Group Falcons.

The remaining have earned their place in PGL Wallachia Season 7 by successful regional qualifiers. The competitions passed off within the Americas, Western Europe, Japanese Europe and Asia, with groups clawing their approach by way of open and closed qualifiers. 4 groups emerged victorious, together with organisations equivalent to HEROIC, and non-backed rosters equivalent to Energy Rangers.

These are all of the groups that can compete in PGL Wallachia Season 7:

Undoubtedly, one of many high groups heading into the event is the PGL Wallachia Season 6 champion MOUZ, which defeated Group Spirit 3-2 within the Grand Finals. Solely time will inform whether or not MOUZ will defend its title this time round.

Group Liquid is one other standout group as the one organisation to have received PGL Wallachia in multiple season. It has an extended historical past in Dota 2, together with being the 2024 and 2017 The Worldwide champions and the primary group to interrupt Tundra Esports’ successful streak within the BLAST Slam collection.

Yellow Submarine and Energy Rangers stand out as the one non-organisation-backed groups competing within the competitors. Nonetheless, each have been capable of beat groups like Virtus.professional and Zero tenacity in Western Europe, and AVULUS and 1w Group in Japanese Europe, respectively, and so might show to be the darkish horses of the event.

PGL Wallachia Season 27 will start with the Group Stage. Sixteen organisations will compete in a modified Swiss system, the place group matchups might be decided by efficiency because the event progresses. A group is robotically eradicated after three losses or advances after three wins.

Matches within the Group Stage are best-of-three, and solely the highest eight groups will transfer on to the Playoffs, whereas the remaining are eradicated.

Afterwards, the Playoffs will shift right into a double-elimination bracket, the place groups will combat for one in all two spots within the Grand Finals. After a best-of-five showdown, just one group will stroll away with the lion’s share of the $1m prize pool.

Not like different Dota 2 tournaments equivalent to The Internationals, PGL Wallachia doesn’t characteristic a reside crowd. Nonetheless, matches between groups through the Bucharest event might be broadcast reside on the official PGL Dota 2 Twitch, Kick and YouTube channels.

Updates, highlights and extra are additionally shared on PGL Dota 2’s socials.

Groups will play for the lion’s share of a $1m prize pool, with the Season 7 champions receiving $300,000 in winnings. Not like different circuits, such because the ESL Professional Tour, factors won’t be allotted to groups to affect qualification for future occasions.

The event is a part of the PGL’s $13m (~£9.6m) dedication to supporting the MOBA recreation’s wider esports ecosystem, which pledges $1m in prize pool funds to 13 tournaments from 2025 to 2028.

Right here is how the prize pool might be cut up:

As soon as PGL Wallachia Season 7 concludes, solely two extra seasons will happen in 2026. Season 8 might be held from April sixteenth to twenty sixth, and Season 9 is scheduled for September seventeenth to twenty seventh, each in Bucharest, Romania.