PMGC 2026 Kicks Off on 26 November as Istanbul Gets Set for PUBG UNITED Grand Finals

ISTANBUL, November 15, 2026 – The countdown is on. PUBG MOBILE Esports has released its official guide to the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC), confirming that the season-ending world championship kicks off on November 26 at 3pm Istanbul time (UTC+3), with the Grand Finals set for December 11 to 13 in the Turkish city.

In a separate announcement on Sunday, the organiser confirmed that the PMGC finals will again share a stage with the PC game’s PUBG Global Championship (PGC) under the PUBG UNITED banner, with both Grand Finals staged in Istanbul across the same December weekend.

Four stages, one trophy

The championship opens with The Gauntlet on November 26 and 27, where 16 teams play 12 matches. The top six go straight to the Grand Finals, while the other ten drop into the Group Stage.

From there, the field widens. The Group Stage brings in 22 directly qualified teams alongside the ten from The Gauntlet, split into Group Green on November 29 and 30 and Group Red on December 2 and 3. The top three in each group advance to the Grand Finals, with those finishing fourth to 11th heading to the Last Chance stage on December 5 and 6, where three more Grand Finals places are up for grabs.

Turkish side ULF Esports go straight to the Grand Finals as the host-country invite, completing a 16-team final field.

Who is in

A total of 39 teams will take part. The Gauntlet line-up includes S2G Esports, Gaming Stars, All Gamers, Team SouL and Nongshim RedForce, while the Group Stage seeds include defending champions Alpha7 Esports, FURIA, Weibo Gaming, LGD Gaming, DRX and Dplus KIA, according to the official group draw as compiled by esports outlets.

Brazil’s Alpha7 Esports arrive as the 2025 world champions, chasing back-to-back titles in their seventh consecutive PMGC appearance.

Prize money and venue

The 2026 PMGC carries a US$3 million prize pool, shared across all 39 teams, according to PUBGMpedia, which adds that the per-place split has yet to be published. The Grand Finals will be played at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center in Istanbul.

Key dates

• The Gauntlet: November 26–27
• Group Stage, Group Green: November 29–30
• Group Stage, Group Red: December 2–3
• Last Chance: December 5–6
• Grand Finals (PUBG UNITED): December 11–13, Istanbul

League-stage days start at 3pm Istanbul time, which is 8pm in Malaysia. The PMGC is the final event of the 2026 PUBG MOBILE competitive season and the game’s biggest annual title.

Source: PUBG MOBILE Esports (@EsportsPUBGM) official posts, November 15, 2026; format, team and prize details as reported by PUBGMpedia and NextPlay Intel.

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