PGL Astana 2026 playoffs betting preview: Odds, predictions, and picks
Without Team Vitality in the mix, the PGL Astana 2026 playoffs are set to be a memorable one, as we’re pretty much guaranteed to see a new trophy winner this year. Here are our PGL Astana playoff predictions for each quarterfinal matchup.
MOUZ vs Aurora prediction
The playoffs immediately open with a big match between MOUZ and Aurora.
MOUZ enter this tournament with their newly minted squad, seeing Major MVP Justinas “jL” Lekavičius return to the scene while also promoting academy player Adrian “xelex” Vincze to the main roster.
However, the real star of the show has been Dorian “xertioN” Berman. The 21-year-old recently took on the in-game leader role, and even though his performance was expected to drop, he’s been playing even better than before.
Image credit: PGL
Aurora, on the other hand, have looked a little shaky at this event. The Turks barely scraped past the group stage with a 3-2 record and haven’t been playing the cleanest Counter-Strike. It also doesn’t help that this team typically underperforms in on-stage matches.
It’s also worth noting that these two teams have already played each other earlier in the group stage, with MOUZ taking a 2-0 victory, though both maps were extremely close. In terms of recent form, we favor MOUZ in this matchup and have them taking the series.
Our prediction:
- MOUZ as the match winner at 1.67 odds.
CS2 betting odds via GG.BET
Team Spirit vs G2 Esports prediction
The next matchup features a brawl between two storied organizations – Team Spirit and G2 Esports.
Team Spirit have had a slow start to the year and are looking to make up for lost time at this event. Danil “donk” Kryshkovets has been up to his usual antics and is the highest-rated player at the event, with an average rating of 1.63. As long as the terminator keeps up this form, it’s hard to bet against Spirit in this series.
Image credit: PGL
G2 are still finding their identity with their newest recruit, Guy “NertZ” Iluz, though the signs at PGL Astana have been somewhat promising. This squad is filled with experienced players, but to beat a team like Spirit, everyone has to show up with strong performances.
When comparing the firepower and recent form of both teams, it’s very hard to bet against Team Spirit. However, we can see G2 taking at least one map, especially if Overpass makes an appearance.
Our predictions:
- Team Spirit as the match winner at 1.42 odds
- G2 Esports +1.5 maps at 1.58 odds
CS2 betting odds via GG.BET.
9z Team vs Magic Predictions
These two teams are the elephants in the room – squads you didn’t really expect to make a deep run at this event.
9z Team have been the biggest surprise of the tournament so far. Despite coming into the tournament as underdogs, the South American side managed to go 3-0 in the Swiss Stage, and this run was no fluke either.
They literally had to go through PARIVISION, Team Falcons, and MOUZ, all of which are among the highest-ranked teams at the event.
Magic were one of the lowest-rated teams heading into this tournament, yet they’ve defied all odds. This stack started their Swiss Stage campaign with a 0-2 record, then won three matches in a row to qualify for the playoffs.
Magic has some insane aimers, but most of the roster consists of very inexperienced players. The PGL Astana playoffs will be the biggest stage they’ve ever played on.
Image credit: PGL
9z seriously impressed us during the group stage, and they also have far more experience than Magic when it comes to stage matches. We’re backing the South American squad in this series, with a 2-0 victory very much on the cards.
Our predictions:
- 9z Team Match Winner at 1.44 odds or
- 9z Team -1.5 Maps at 2.41 odds
FURIA vs Team Falcons Predictions
The final matchup of the day also happens to be the best one. We have a clash of titans between FURIA and Team Falcons, which is shaping up to be an early grand final.
FURIA look like they’re back in form, with star AWPer Danil “molodoy” Golubenko putting together a great event so far.
With a 1.47 rating at the tournament, the Kazakhstani is looking to carry this form onto home soil. That should serve as some extra motivation for the entire squad to give it their all.
Image via PGL
Standing across them is Team Falcons with their newest in-game leader, Finn “karrigan” Andersen. This is the first outing for the new lineup, and there are still plenty of adjustments to be made.
Though they have some of the best CS2 players in the world, the team has looked a little shaky, which is understandable considering they’re changing up their entire stratbook.
We expect some very high-level, yet scrappy Counter-Strike in this series. Prepare for an all-out brawl.
It’s difficult to tell which team will come out on top, but we believe it’ll be a close series that goes the distance. We’ll skip the match winner market and take over 2.5 maps instead.
Our prediction:
- Over 2.5 maps at 1.95 odds
Feature image credit: PGL
Owen Harsono
Owen lives for competition, spending most of his gaming hours on Dota 2, CS2, and Valorant. A regular on the SEA Dota 2 leaderboards, he combines his first-hand experience with a deep passion for esports journalism, following the professional scenes of all three esports betting titles religiously. When he’s not writing, he’s most probably betting on esports and watching the latest events.
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