Natus Vincere receives invite to compete in PGL Wallachia Season 9
The Ukrainian esports powerhouse joins 15 other teams vying for a share of the $1 million Dota 2 prize pool in Bucharest
Natus Vincere, the storied Ukrainian esports organization better known as NAVI, has locked in a direct invitation to PGL Wallachia Season 9, a premier Dota 2 tournament carrying a $1 million total prize pool. Competition kicks off tomorrow in Bucharest, Romania, running through September 27.
The tournament marks the first major Tier 1 event of the 2026-27 Dota 2 competitive season.
What the tournament looks like
PGL Wallachia Season 9 features 16 directly invited teams, meaning no open qualifiers were held for this edition.
The format follows a modified Swiss system for the group stage, with all matches played as best-of-three series. From there, surviving teams advance to a double-elimination playoff bracket. The grand final will be a best-of-five, giving the two finalists a longer runway to prove which squad deserves the lion’s share of that prize pool. First place takes home $300K.
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All matches will be hosted at the PGL Studio in Bucharest, played behind closed doors rather than in front of a live arena audience.
NAVI’s Wallachia track record
This isn’t NAVI’s first appearance in the Wallachia series. The organization received invitations to both Season 7 and Season 8 earlier in 2026, making Season 9 their third consecutive appearance in PGL’s flagship Dota 2 circuit this year alone.
The timing of this tournament carries extra weight. PGL Wallachia Season 9 arrives in the immediate aftermath of The International 2026, meaning rosters across the Dota 2 scene are in flux. This tournament will be one of the first opportunities to see how those reshuffled rosters perform under pressure.