Just hours after their Major qualification hopes looked dead and buried following a devastating elimination at DraculaN Season 6, FaZe have pulled a surprise move. The team have signed up for HLC Belgrade PRO, a $30,000 LAN running April 3 to 5 in Serbia, in what amounts to their final shot at securing enough VRS points for an IEM Cologne Major 2026 invite. The decision directly clashes with FaZe’s existing commitment to PGL Bucharest, raising serious questions about how the organisation intends to handle two overlapping events.
What Happened At DraculaN
FaZe’s DraculaN Season 6 campaign was brief and painful. After opening with a comfortable 2-0 win over aimclub, the team were sent to the lower bracket by Passion UA in a hard-fought 2-1 series. That set up a do-or-die clash against fnatic, and FaZe simply didn’t turn up.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 30 March 2026 | FaZe vs aimclub | 2-0 (W) |
| 31 March 2026 | Passion UA vs FaZe | 2-1 (L) |
| 31 March 2026 | fnatic vs FaZe | 2-0 (L) |
On Anubis, FaZe struggled on their favoured T side despite some early Deagle heroics from David “frozen” Čerňanský. Once the sides switched, fnatic’s IGL Rodion “fEAR” Smyk put on a show, leading his side to a 13-6 win. Overpass was no better, as FaZe couldn’t handle fnatic’s retakes in the first half before being rolled by an up-tempo offence in the second, according to HLTV’s match report.
When asked by HLTV immediately after the elimination, FaZe stated they planned to attend PGL Bucharest, a response that effectively confirmed they would miss the Major. The VRS invite cutoff falls on April 6, and PGL Bucharest runs April 4 to 11, well past the deadline, meaning results from that event would not count towards Major qualification.
The Reversal: Why Belgrade
Then came the surprise. As reported by HLTV, the team list for HLC Belgrade PRO was announced with FaZe’s name on it. The Relog-organised LAN, which was recently relocated from Cyprus to Belgrade due to geopolitical tensions in the region, concludes on April 5, one day before the VRS cutoff. That makes it one of the last European events where FaZe could accumulate the points they desperately need.
The problem is the scheduling overlap. PGL Bucharest begins on April 4, and HLTV has since reported that FaZe remain listed in PGL’s day one matchups, scheduled to face EYEBALLERS at 18:00 on April 4, which falls on day two of the Belgrade LAN. Neither PGL nor FaZe responded to HLTV’s requests for comment before publication. FaZe’s attendance in Belgrade almost certainly means they pull out of PGL Bucharest, a $625,000 event, with forfeits likely required.
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There was also an early question over whether FaZe’s registration would even be accepted. Dust2.us reported that VRS expert MischiefCS had predicted FaZe would miss the Major, and HLTV journalist Striker noted on X that Valve had told Relog they were not allowed to accept teams who signed up past the deadline. FaZe appear to have registered before that cutoff, as they are confirmed in the group draw.
Give a warm welcome to the teams set to attend the #HLCCYPRUSPRO in Belgrade! 👏 Prepare for a $30k #CS2LAN w/ VRS points up in the air & a tough battle sure to follow! 👀#RLG | #CS2 pic.twitter.com/tApmYfIouM
— Relog Media (@RelogMedia) March 31, 2026
HLC Belgrade PRO Group Draw
Relog released the group stage draw, though it required an update after an initial seeding error placed Re’di in FaZe’s Group A.
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
|---|---|---|---|
| FaZe | illwill | BIG | magic |
| Drama | ex-Zero Tenacity | Betclic | CYBERSHOKE |
| BEE | Deorum | Luminous | PIVOSQUAD |
| Re’di |
On paper, FaZe should be comfortable progressing from a group containing Drama and BEE. But given how 2026 has gone for this team, nothing can be taken for granted. FaZe have dropped to 31st in the VRS after their DraculaN exit, falling below teams like B8, Nemiga, Sharks, NRG, NiP, Gentle Mates, Alliance, and K27.
BIG Also Chasing Major Points
FaZe aren’t the only team in Belgrade with Major ambitions. BIG, drawn into Group C alongside Betclic and Luminous, are also in the VRS race for an IEM Cologne invite. The German-majority squad surged up the standings earlier in the year following the addition of Benjamin “blameF” Bremer, but suffered a setback with their group stage exit at Roman Imperium Cup VII. A strong showing in Belgrade would keep their Cologne hopes alive.
A Disastrous 2026 In Context
The desperation behind this move becomes clearer when you look at FaZe’s broader season. As HLTV’s reporting outlined, FaZe have won just four series all year, with one of those being the aimclub victory at DraculaN. They’ve been among the first teams eliminated from every tournament they’ve attended. Their 0-2 outing at BLAST Open Rotterdam, which included a loss to TYLOO, set the tone for a dreadful stretch.
Should FaZe ultimately miss IEM Cologne, it would end a 16-Major attendance streak stretching back to MLG Columbus 2016. That’s particularly stinging given they reached the grand final at the last Major, StarLadder Budapest. As Cybersport.metaratings.ru highlighted, FaZe have reached four Major finals in the last seven Majors, winning one in 2022. The fall from grand finalist to missing the event entirely would be one of the sharpest declines in Counter-Strike history.
What Comes Next
HLC Belgrade PRO kicks off on April 3, and FaZe need to make it count. Community discussion around the VRS suggests that anything short of winning the event may not be enough to push them into Major contention, with their path still dependent on other teams’ results. Whether this gamble, ditching a $625,000 commitment for a $30,000 LAN, pays off or becomes another chapter in a dismal 2026 is something we’ll know very soon.