The PUBG Global Series Circuit 3 is set to commence in Shanghai, China, from August 5 to 23, 2026. This circuit marks the beginning of the second half of the 2026 PGS season, featuring PGS 7, PGS 8, and PGS 9. A significant change for this circuit is the doubling of PGS Points awarded for every series, intensifying the race to 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 (12:00 CEST / 17:00 ICT / 03:00 PDT), except for the PGS 7 Group Stage on August 5, which begins at 05:00 UTC (07:00 CEST / 12:00 ICT / 22:00 PDT on August 4).
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, with team progression determined by prior series results.
PGS 7 — August 5–9
- Group Stage: 24 teams in Groups A, B, C. Each team plays six of nine matches.
- Top 16 advance to Winners Stage.
- Bottom 8 proceed to Survival Stage.
- Winners Stage: 16 teams play five matches.
- Top 8 advance directly to Final Stage and receive Advantage Points.
- Bottom 8 proceed to Survival Stage.
- Survival Stage: 16 teams play five matches.
- Top 8 advance to Final Stage.
- Bottom 8 are eliminated.
- Final Stage: 16 teams compete in 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.
- PGS 7 Top 16 → Winners Stage.
- PGS 7 Bottom 8 → 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 determined by cumulative PGS Points from PGS 7 and PGS 8.
- Top 8 in cumulative Circuit 3 PGS Points → Advance directly to Grand Finals.
- Remaining 16 teams → Survival Stage.
- Survival Stage: Top 8 advance to Grand Finals.
- Grand Finals: 16 teams compete in 15 matches over three days to crown the Circuit 3 champion.
Advantage Points
Top eight teams in PGS 7 and PGS 8 Winners Stages receive Advantage Points for their respective Final Stages:
| 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 playing six of the nine total matches.
PGS Points — Double Points in the Second Half
Circuits 3 and 4 award double PGS Points. PGS 7 and PGS 8 champions earn 60 points each, while the PGS 9 champion earns 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 at the end of PGS 12 will qualify directly for PGC 2026. This double-point system offers a crucial opportunity for teams to reshape their PGC qualification chances.
Map Pool and Order
Circuit 3 will be played across 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 for all three group matchups across Matches 1-9.
Prize Pool
The total prize pool for Circuit 3 is $500,000:
- 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 daily at 10:00 UTC, 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 in Shanghai is poised to be a decisive phase in the 2026 season, with 24 teams battling for PGC 2026 qualification.
