NAVI lost to Vitality 1:2 in the quarterfinals of PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 and ended their run at the tournament. Following the first day of the playoffs, all four semifinalists have been determined.
The first quarterfinal immediately delivered the biggest upset of the day. FUT, who went through the Swiss Stage without a single loss with a 3:0 record, unexpectedly ended their tournament run after their first playoff match.
The Turkish team could not continue their strong run and lost to Nemiga 0:2. On Nuke, FUT had the advantage after the first half but could not close out the map — Nemiga completed the comeback and took it 13:11. On Dust2, FUT also failed to turn the game around — their opponents won 13:9 and closed the series.
As a result, FUT finished PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 in the top 8 despite their perfect result in the previous stage. For a team that entered the playoffs among the main contenders to reach the semifinals, this became one of the most unexpected results of the tournament.
In the quarterfinals, NAVI faced Vitality for the second time at the tournament. The French team had previously defeated the Ukrainians 2:0 in the Swiss Stage.
This time, NAVI started the series much more confidently. On Cache, the team won the map 13:5, ending Vitality’s eight-match winning streak on the map. iM was NAVI’s best player on the opening map, helping the team quickly build an advantage and close it out.
However, Vitality managed to turn the series around on Mirage. NAVI made a strong start to the map, but the French side responded with a strong defensive performance and won 13:9.
Dust2 was the deciding map. Vitality immediately took control of the game and went on to win the map 13:6, completing the comeback in the series — 2:1. ZywOo finished the match with the highest rating among all players — 1.24.
As a result, NAVI finished PGL Masters Bucharest 2026 in the top 8. The team went through the Swiss Stage with a 3:2 record, defeating G2, FURIA, and Spirit, but losing to BetBoom and Vitality.
In the second half of the day, MOUZ faced Aurora in the quarterfinals of PGL Masters Bucharest 2026. The series was one of the most one-sided of the opening playoff round — MOUZ confidently controlled the game on both maps and finished the match with a 2:0 scoreline.
On Mirage, the teams played a fairly competitive first half, but after the side switch, MOUZ gradually increased their lead. Aurora failed to establish a stable economy or put together a series of successful rounds, allowing MOUZ to win the map 13:6.
There was practically no contest on Cache. MOUZ took the initiative from the very beginning and did not allow Aurora to get back into the match. The team gave up only two rounds to their opponents and closed the map with a dominant 13:2 score. As a result, MOUZ advanced to the semifinals.
The final quarterfinal of the first day was a matchup between FURIA and BetBoom. The Brazilians played the series confidently and, unlike FUT, did not allow their opponents to create an upset — FURIA won 2:0.
On Dust2, the teams played the most competitive map of the series. BetBoom put up serious resistance and did not allow FURIA to build a large lead, meaning the regulation 24 rounds were not enough to determine the winner. In overtime, the Brazilians eventually closed out the map and won 16:12.
On Cache, FURIA controlled the game much more confidently. The Brazilian team picked up rounds faster and gradually increased their lead, while BetBoom could not replicate their level of resistance from the first map. In the end, FURIA won 13:7 and closed the series without a third map.
YEKINDAR and KSCERATO played an important role in the victory. The Latvian finished the match with a 1.41 rating, while the Brazilian posted a 1.37 rating, making them the highest-rated players on their team.
As a result, FURIA advanced to the semifinals of PGL Masters Bucharest 2026, while BetBoom finished the tournament in the top 8.
Following the first day of the playoffs, Vitality, Nemiga, MOUZ, and FURIA remain in contention for the championship.
The semifinal matches will take place on October 30 in a Bo3 format:
The winners of these matches will advance to the grand final of PGL Masters Bucharest 2026.
The grand final will take place on October 31 in a Bo5 format. A third-place match will also be held beforehand. The tournament’s total prize pool is $1.25 million.
As a reminder, ESL One Munich 2027 has been announced for Dota 2 with a $1,000,000 prize pool.
