Last updated: September 1, 2026
FISSURE Playground 3 is bringing another major CS2 LAN to China, with 16 teams competing in Suzhou from September 8 to September 13, 2026 for a total prize pool of $1 million.
FURIA, G2, FaZe, Astralis, The MongolZ and several other international teams are already confirmed, while the final place will be decided through the ongoing Asia Closed Qualifier.
There has also been a late roster change before the tournament even begins. FUT Esports were forced to withdraw because of visa problems, with magic taking their place. FISSURE confirmed that the change means the groups and opening matches need to be rearranged.
That makes freshness especially important with this event. Some FISSURE Playground 3 pages currently showing up in search still contain old dates, an old prize pool or teams that are no longer attending.
Here is everything currently confirmed for FISSURE Playground 3.
If you want to follow the rest of the season as well, our CS2 tournament schedule for 2026 covers the major events still coming this year.
FISSURE Playground 3 Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | FISSURE Playground 3 |
| Game | CS2 |
| Dates | September 8 to 13, 2026 |
| Location | Suzhou, China |
| Teams | 16 |
| Total Prize Pool | $1,000,000 |
| Player Share | $450,000 |
| Club Share | $550,000 |
| Group Stage | Double elimination |
| Playoffs | Single elimination |
| Final Qualifier | Asia Closed Qualifier |
HLTV currently lists the event as a 16 team tournament running from September 8 through September 13 in Suzhou. The total $1 million pool is divided into $450,000 for players and $550,000 for clubs.
FISSURE Playground 3 also starts only two days after the end of BLAST Open Porto.
That could matter for teams competing in both tournaments. Anyone making a deep run in Portugal will have very little time before travelling to China.
You can follow that event separately in our BLAST Open Porto 2026 guide.
FISSURE Playground 3 Schedule
The FISSURE Playground 3 main event starts on September 8, 2026, with the champion being decided on September 13.
The full revised match schedule is still being finalized.
FUT Esports were originally part of the tournament, but visa issues forced them out of the event. magic were selected as their replacement, and FISSURE said the groups and opening matchups would be reorganized because of the change.
There is also still one open place in the 16 team field.
That final spot will come from the FISSURE Playground 3 Asia Closed Qualifier.
So the important dates right now are:
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| September 1 to 3 | Asia Closed Qualifier continues |
| September 3 | Final main event team decided |
| September 8 | FISSURE Playground 3 begins |
| September 13 | Final day |
We will update this page once the qualifier finishes and the revised FISSURE Playground 3 schedule is confirmed.
That is more useful than publishing matchups now that could change before the tournament starts.
FISSURE Playground 3 Teams
Fifteen teams are currently confirmed for FISSURE Playground 3.
The final team will qualify through Asia.
| Team | Qualification |
|---|---|
| FURIA | VRS |
| Legacy | VRS |
| G2 | VRS |
| 9z | VRS |
| FaZe | VRS |
| Astralis | VRS |
| The MongolZ | VRS |
| BetBoom | VRS |
| PARIVISION | VRS |
| GamerLegion | VRS |
| magic | Replacement |
| BIG | VRS |
| MIBR | VRS |
| TYLOO | VRS |
| Alliance | VRS |
| TBD | Asia Closed Qualifier |
This is the current team list as of September 1.
Why Is FUT Not Playing?
FUT were originally expected to compete at FISSURE Playground 3.
That changed on August 29 when visa problems prevented the team from travelling to China. FISSURE replaced FUT with magic and announced that the tournament draw would need to be adjusted.
If you see FUT included on an older FISSURE Playground 3 teams list, that information is now outdated.
How Does the FISSURE Playground 3 Format Work?
FISSURE Playground 3 starts with two double elimination groups.
Each group contains eight teams and all group matches are played as best of three series.
The top three teams from each group advance to the playoffs.
The group winners move directly into the semifinals, while the second and third placed teams move into the quarterfinals.
From there, the tournament switches to a single elimination bracket. Quarterfinals and semifinals are played as best of three series, while the Grand Final is scheduled as a best of five.
That gives teams some room for error early.
Losing one match in the group stage does not immediately end a tournament run, but once the playoffs begin there is no lower bracket waiting for anyone.
FISSURE Playground 3 Prize Pool
The total FISSURE Playground 3 prize pool is $1 million.
One thing that can make the prize information look confusing is that the money is divided between players and clubs.
The current split is:
Player prize money: $450,000
Club share: $550,000
The $450,000 player prize pool is distributed like this:
| Placement | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $165,000 |
| 2nd | $75,000 |
| 3rd to 4th | $40,000 each |
| 5th to 6th | $25,000 each |
| 7th to 8th | $15,000 each |
| 9th to 12th | $7,500 each |
| 13th to 16th | $5,000 each |
Even teams eliminated near the bottom of the event receive a portion of the player prize pool.
FISSURE Playground 3 Map Pool
The current FISSURE Playground 3 map pool is:
- Cache
- Dust2
- Mirage
- Inferno
- Nuke
- Ancient
- Anubis
The map that stands out most is Cache.
Cache is back in the Active Duty pool, and pro teams are now having to put serious preparation time into a map that spent years outside the main competitive rotation.
If you have started playing it again yourself, our CS2 Cache callouts guide covers the important positions around A, B and Mid.
Utility will matter just as much at the professional level. We also have updated guides for the best Cache smokes and Cache nade lineups.
Dust2 and Mirage are much more familiar territory for most teams, but they remain two maps where small communication mistakes can completely ruin a round. Players learning those maps can use our Dust 2 callouts guide and updated Mirage callouts guide.
Teams to Watch at FISSURE Playground 3
There are several teams capable of winning this event, especially with some of the biggest names in CS2 missing from the field.
FURIA
FURIA are the obvious team to start with.
They won FISSURE Playground 2 after beating The MongolZ in a five map Grand Final, so they arrive in China as the defending Playground champions.
Their lineup also features molodoy, who has been one of the standout players of 2026.
We currently have molodoy inside our ranking of the best CS2 players of 2026.
The biggest question for FURIA could simply be the schedule.
They are also competing at BLAST Open Porto. If their run there lasts until the final weekend, they will have almost no break before travelling to Suzhou.
G2
G2 have enough individual talent to win this tournament.
HeavyGod has been one of their most important players this season, while NertZ gives the roster another player capable of taking over maps when he gets going.
The issue with G2 is not really their ceiling.
It is whether they can produce their best Counter Strike for an entire tournament.
In a double elimination group they have room to recover from a bad start, but the playoff bracket gives them much less forgiveness.
FaZe
FaZe are another team that should always be taken seriously in a LAN environment.
Their experience becomes especially valuable in elimination matches, where one poor map or one bad veto can send a team home.
They may not enter Suzhou as the clear favorite, but FaZe are exactly the kind of team nobody wants to meet once a tournament reaches the playoffs.
The MongolZ
The MongolZ should be one of the most interesting teams at FISSURE Playground 3.
They reached the Grand Final of Playground 2 before losing to FURIA, so there is already history between those two teams.
Playing in China also gives The MongolZ a much shorter trip than most European and American teams will face.
That does not automatically make them favorites, but it removes one of the problems that can affect teams travelling across several time zones immediately before a LAN.
Legacy
Legacy are another team worth watching.
They do not carry the same name recognition as FaZe or G2, but their current VRS position has put them into a strong field and they have enough firepower to make the group stage uncomfortable for anyone.
This is the type of tournament where a team like Legacy can become dangerous very quickly.
Win the first two best of three series and suddenly a deep playoff run is within reach.
Final Thoughts
FISSURE Playground 3 has a much more open field than some of the biggest CS2 tournaments this season.
FURIA arrive as the defending Playground champions, G2 and FaZe have another realistic shot at a trophy, The MongolZ already know what it takes to reach a Playground final, and one Asian qualifier still has the chance to enter the tournament with almost nothing to lose.
The event starts September 8, 2026 and runs through September 13.
The biggest thing to watch before then is the final qualifier and the revised group draw following FUT’s withdrawal.
We will keep this guide updated as the last team, opening matches, results and playoff bracket are confirmed.
For everything coming after FISSURE, check our full CS2 tournament schedule for 2026 or our guide to the remaining CS2 Majors in 2026.
