Astana Will Once Again Become the Center of the Global Esports Scene. The international tournament PGL Astana 2026 will take place in the capital city. The competition will bring together 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams, while millions of viewers around the globe are expected to follow the event, according to the official website of the Astana Akimat.

The tournament will be held from May 15 to 17 at the Barys Arena venue. Sixteen world-class teams will participate in the competition.

The tournament held in 2025 was a major success: online viewership reached record-breaking numbers, and the international audience showed significant interest. As a result, Astana strengthened its status as one of the emerging global centers of esports. Hosting the tournament again in 2026 has become a natural continuation of this achievement.

The tournament organizer is PGL Esports SRL, one of the world’s leading operators of esports competitions.

In 2026, the tournament’s prize pool has been increased to USD 1.6 million, making it one of the highest-paying Counter-Strike 2 tournaments outside of the Major series.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-busan/press/news/details/1215268?lang=kk