Hello, PUBG Esports fans!

After two circuits in Seoul, the PUBG Global Series is moving to Shanghai, China. PGS Circuit 3, featuring PGS 7, PGS 8, and PGS 9, will take place across three weeks from August 5 to 23.

Circuit 3 also marks the beginning of the second half of the 2026 PGS season—and from this point forward, the numbers change. Every series in Circuits 3 and 4 will award twice as many PGS Points as the first half of the season. With the race to PGC 2026 entering a decisive phase, here is everything you need to know about the next three weeks in Shanghai.

Circuit 3 Overview

• Dates: August 5–23, 2026

• Location: Shanghai, China

• Participating Teams: 24

  • 12 Global Partner Teams

  • 12 Regional Qualifiers

• Total Prize Pool: $500,000

  • PGS 7: $100,000

  • PGS 8: $100,000

  • PGS 9: $300,000

• Match Start Time: 10:00 UTC daily

  • PGS 7 Group Stage on August 5 begins at 05:00 UTC

All matches except the PGS 7 Group Stage begin at 10:00 UTC (12:00 CEST / 17:00 ICT / 03:00 PDT).

The PGS 7 Group Stage begins at 05:00 UTC on August 5 (07:00 CEST / 12:00 ICT / 22:00 PDT on August 4).

Tournament Schedule

Tournament Format

Circuit 3 follows a progressive stage system, with the results of each series determining how teams enter the next.

PGS 7 — August 5–9

• Group Stage: All 24 teams are divided into Groups A, B, and C. Nine matches will be played, with each team competing in six.

  • Top 16 → Winners Stage

  • Bottom 8 → Survival Stage

• Winners Stage: 16 teams compete in five matches.

  • Top 8 → Advance directly to the Final Stage and receive Advantage Points

  • Bottom 8 → Survival Stage

• Survival Stage: 16 teams compete in five matches.

  • Top 8 → Final Stage

  • Bottom 8 → Eliminated

• Final Stage: 16 teams compete across 10 matches over two days to determine the final PGS 7 standings.

PGS 8 — August 13–16

PGS 8 does not include a Group Stage. Teams are seeded directly according to their final PGS 7 standings.

• PGS 7 Top 16 → Winners Stage

• PGS 7 Bottom 8 → Survival Stage

• Following the Winners and Survival Stages, 16 teams advance to the 10-match Final Stage across two days.

PGS 9 — Circuit Final, August 20–23

Seeding for PGS 9 is determined by the PGS Points earned within Circuit 3 across PGS 7 and PGS 8.

• Top 8 in cumulative Circuit 3 PGS Points → Advance directly to the Grand Finals

• Remaining 16 teams → Survival Stage

• Survival Stage Top 8 → Grand Finals

• Grand Finals: 16 teams compete across 15 matches over three days to crown the Circuit 3 champion.

Advantage Points

The top eight teams in the PGS 7 and PGS 8 Winners Stages receive Advantage Points, which are added to their standings at the start of the respective Final Stage.

Participating Teams

Circuit 3 brings together 12 Global Partner Teams and 12 teams that qualified through their regional leagues.

Group Stage Draw

The Group Stage will be played in the order of A&B, B&C, and A&C. Each group matchup features one match on Erangel, Miramar, and Taego, with every team competing in six of the nine total matches.

PGS Points — Double Points in the Second Half

Circuits 3 and 4 award twice as many PGS Points as the first half of the season. The champions of PGS 7 and PGS 8 will earn 60 points each, while the PGS 9 champion will earn 120 points.

PGS Points are awarded only to the top 16 teams in each series. At the end of PGS 12, the top eight teams in the annual PGS Points standings will qualify directly for PGC 2026.

For the teams that built an advantage in the first half, Shanghai is where they must defend it. For those chasing from behind, the doubled points create an opportunity to turn the standings around. One strong circuit could reshape the entire PGC race.

Map Pool and Order

Circuit 3 will be played across Erangel, Miramar, Taego, and Rondo.

The Group Stage repeats the same Erangel → Miramar → Taego order across all three group matchups for Matches 1 through 9.

Prize Pool

The total prize pool for Circuit 3 is $500,000, distributed across the three series.

• PGS 7: $100,000 — $30,000 for the champion

• PGS 8: $100,000 — $30,000 for the champion

• PGS 9: $300,000 — $100,000 for the champion

Placement prizes will be awarded to the top eight teams in PGS 7 and PGS 8, and to all 16 Grand Finalists in PGS 9. Each series also features separate match-win and MVP prizes.

Across four circuits and 12 series, the total prize pool for the 2026 PGS season is $2,000,000.

How to Watch

All PGS 7–9 matches will be broadcast live on official PUBG Esports channels.

Matches begin at 10:00 UTC daily, except for the PGS 7 Group Stage on August 5, which begins at 05:00 UTC.

Detailed broadcast channels and viewing links will be announced separately.

A new city, double the points, and 24 teams fighting for their place at PGC 2026. Circuit 3 will set the direction for the second half of the 2026 season.

See you in Shanghai on August 5!