PGL has announced the invited participants for the North American Closed Qualifier of PGL Masters Bucharest, with Liquid, NRG, Voca, and Chicken Coop securing direct entries into the eight-team competition. The invitations follow the July Valve Regional Standings rankings, and notably suggest that M80 and Wildcard turned down their spots for undisclosed reasons, alongside the defunct Passion UA lineup.
The qualifier awards a single berth to the main tournament, which boasts a prize purse of $1.25 million and takes place in Bucharest, Romania between October 24th and October 31st.
Liquid enters as the clear frontrunner, being the only squad ranked in the Top 30 of the Valve Regional Standings. The team has shown improved performance since bringing aboard Georgi "Jorko" Mitev and Johnny "JT" Theodosiou in July. This marks Liquid's first North American Closed Qualifier appearance in considerable time, with their previous NA qualifier participation being at the IEM 2024 NA Closed Qualifier.
The initial Open Qualifier kicks off tonight at 9:00 PM, featuring 22 registered teams including SportsBetExpert, Marsborne, NuTorious, Without a Roof, and Villainous. Participation numbers may be affected by a crowded North American schedule, with NSTLGA League Season 2 Stage 2 launching tonight while ESEA Advanced Season 57 playoffs continue simultaneously.
