PGL eye alternative locations for 2021 Major

The tournament organizer still hopes that the Major will be held in Stockholm, but confirmed that moving the event to another European city is a possibility.

PGL, the company in charge of the first CS:GO Major set to happen since the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic, posted an update on the PGL Stockholm Major on Tuesday. They confirmed reports that due to the COVID-19 regulations currently in place in Sweden, moving the Major to a different location is a possibility.

The tournament organizer explained that the Major was planned to happen in front of a large crowd, but current regulations in Sweden would allow just 300 spectators within the 16,000-capacity venue it was supposed to take place in, the Avicii Arena.

While those regulations might change, PGL stressed that "two other European countries who have already offered us all the necessary guarantees to run the CS:GO Major", and that they have a "very short window of opportunity to secure a new venue".

While Sweden has seemingly not been able to offer the same guarantees as two other European countries, PGL stated that they "still hope that Sweden, the home of Counter-Strike, will be the host for the next CS:GO Major".

In June, Valve revealed that the biggest event of their other esport title, DOTA2's The International, was moving from Sweden to a new location due to the health situation and regulations in the Scandinavian country. Romania, where PGL is based, was confirmed as the new host, with the competition set to take place in the Arena Naţională football stadium in Bucharest.