CS Asia Championships 2026: Teams, Format, How to Watch

The CS Asia Championships 2026 takes place May 20–24 in Shanghai. Perfect World and PGL are organizing the event, which carries a $400,000 total prize pool.

The tournament begins with a group stage from May 20–22. Sixteen teams are split into two groups of eight using a GSL double-elimination format. Opening matches are best-of-one; all later group matches are best-of-three. Each group winner advances directly to the semifinals. Second- and third-place finishers advance to the quarterfinals.

Playoffs run May 23–24 in a single-elimination bracket. Quarterfinals and semifinals are best-of-three series. The grand final is a best-of-five.

Fourteen teams earned invites based on the February VRS rankings. TYLOO and Lynn Vision Gaming qualified through the Chinese closed qualifier. The field includes PARIVISION, Team Falcons, MOUZ, The MongolZ, Team Liquid, B8 Esports, 3DMAX, Legacy, NRG Esports, paiN Gaming, M80, BC.Game Esports, MIBR, Ninjas in Pyjamas, TYLOO and Lynn Vision Gaming.

Team Falcons, PARIVISION and The MongolZ are the only entrants currently ranked in the HLTV Top 10. Team Falcons reached the playoffs at PGL Astana 2026 and added Finn “Karrigan” Andersen as coach. MOUZ have been regular playoff participants at tier-one events.

The champion will receive $150,000 and the runner-up $70,000. Remaining prize money will be distributed among the other finishing positions.

Matches will be available on PGL’s official channels online. Additional coverage is expected from community casters. Because the event takes place in China, many matches will run in the early morning for viewers in Europe and North America.

The CS Asia Championships series began in 2018 and missed years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Past editions have recorded peak concurrent viewership between about 140,000 and 185,473, with the 2023 event peaking at 185,473 concurrent viewers.