The PUBG Global Series Circuit 3 has commenced in Shanghai, China, marking the second half of the 2026 PGS season. This circuit, spanning three weeks from August 5 to 23, features PGS 7, PGS 8, and PGS 9, with all series awarding double PGS Points. The increased stakes are crucial for teams vying for a spot in PGC 2026.
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)
Tournament Schedule
| Series | Date | Stage | Start Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGS 7 | August 5 | Group Stage | 05:00 UTC |
| August 6 | Winners Stage | 10:00 UTC | |
| August 7 | Survival Stage | 10:00 UTC | |
| August 8–9 | Final Stage | 10:00 UTC | |
| PGS 8 | August 13 | Winners Stage | 10:00 UTC |
| August 14 | Survival Stage | 10:00 UTC | |
| August 15–16 | Final Stage | 10:00 UTC | |
| PGS 9 | August 20 | Survival Stage | 10:00 UTC |
| August 21–23 | Grand Finals | 10:00 UTC |
Tournament Format
Circuit 3 employs a progressive stage system where previous series results influence team seeding.
PGS 7 — August 5–9
- Group Stage: 24 teams split into Groups A, B, C. Nine matches played, each team competes in six. Top 16 advance to Winners Stage, bottom 8 to Survival Stage.
- Winners Stage: 16 teams compete in five matches. Top 8 advance directly to Final Stage with Advantage Points, bottom 8 to Survival Stage.
- Survival Stage: 16 teams compete in five matches. Top 8 advance to Final Stage, bottom 8 are eliminated.
- Final Stage: 16 teams compete across 10 matches over two days for PGS 7 standings.
PGS 8 — August 13–16
- No Group Stage. Teams are seeded based on PGS 7 standings (Top 16 to Winners Stage, Bottom 8 to Survival Stage).
- Following Winners and Survival Stages, 16 teams advance to a 10-match Final Stage over two days.
PGS 9 — Circuit Final, August 20–23
- Seeding based on cumulative Circuit 3 PGS Points from PGS 7 and PGS 8.
- Top 8 in cumulative points advance directly to Grand Finals. Remaining 16 teams enter Survival Stage.
- Survival Stage Top 8 advance to 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 scores at the start of the respective Final Stage.
| Winners Stage Placement | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advantage Points | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Participating Teams
Circuit 3 features 12 Global Partner Teams and 12 Regional Qualifiers.
| Region | Global Partner Teams | Regional League Qualifiers |
|---|---|---|
| Korea | DN SOOPers, Gen.G Esports | Geekay Esports, T1 |
| China | 17Gaming, FOUR ANGRY MEN, Petrichor Road | JD Gaming, TYLOO |
| Thailand | FULL SENSE, eArena | Made in Thailand, Sharper Esports |
| Vietnam | Anyone's Legend | GAM The Expendables, The Vicious Esports |
| EMEA | Twisted Minds, Virtus.pro, Natus Vincere | Team Vitality, Team Nemesis |
| Americas | Falcons | TEAM LIQUID, Godlike |
Group Stage Draw
| Group A | Group B | Group C |
|---|---|---|
| 17Gaming | Petrichor Road | FOUR ANGRY MEN |
| JD Gaming | TYLOO | DN SOOPers |
| Gen.G Esports | Geekay Esports | T1 |
| eArena | Anyone's Legend | FULL SENSE |
| Made in Thailand | Sharper Esports | GAM The Expendables |
| The Vicious Esports | Virtus.pro | Natus Vincere |
| Twisted Minds | Team Vitality | Team Nemesis |
| Falcons | TEAM LIQUID | Godlike |
The Group Stage will be played in the order of A&B, B&C, and A&C. Each group matchup includes 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 the PGS Points compared to the first half of the season. PGS 7 and PGS 8 champions earn 60 points each, while the PGS 9 champion receives 120 points.
| Final Placement | PGS 7 | PGS 8 | PGS 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 60 | 60 | 120 |
| 2nd | 48 | 48 | 96 |
| 3rd | 40 | 40 | 80 |
| 4th | 34 | 34 | 68 |
| 5th | 30 | 30 | 60 |
| 6th | 26 | 26 | 52 |
| 7th | 22 | 22 | 44 |
| 8th | 18 | 18 | 36 |
| 9th | 14 | 14 | 28 |
| 10th | 10 | 10 | 20 |
| 11th | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| 12th | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| 13th | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 14th–16th | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 17th–24th | 0 | 0 | 0 |
PGS Points are awarded only to the top 16 teams in each series. The top eight teams in the annual PGS Points standings after PGS 12 will qualify directly for PGC 2026.
Map Pool and Order
Circuit 3 will feature Erangel, Miramar, Taego, and Rondo.
| Stage | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 | Match 4 | Match 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | Erangel | Miramar | Taego | — | — |
| Winners / Survival / Final Day 1 / Grand Finals Days 1 & 3 | Erangel | Miramar | Taego | Rondo | Erangel |
| Final Day 2 / Grand Finals Day 2 | Taego | Erangel | Rondo | Miramar | Taego |
The Group Stage repeats the 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 as follows:
- 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 are awarded to the top eight teams in PGS 7 and PGS 8, and to all 16 Grand Finalists in PGS 9. Each series also includes separate match-win and MVP prizes. The total prize pool for the 2026 PGS season across four circuits and 12 series 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, with the exception of the PGS 7 Group Stage on August 5, which starts at 05:00 UTC. Detailed broadcast channels and viewing links will be announced separately.
Circuit 3 is set to significantly impact the PGC 2026 race, offering teams a critical opportunity to secure their standings with doubled points.
