CSGO’s PGL Major Stockholm gets boost as Sweden further eases restrictions

The final hurdle to bringing this year’s Counter-Strike Major to Stockholm seems to have been cleared after Swedish authorities announced that all gathering limits will be removed at the end of September.

Swedish Health Minister Lena Hallengren revealed on Tuesday in a press conference that on September 29 all restrictions on public and private gatherings will be lifted as part of the government’s “successful” efforts to curb the global health crisis.

“Thanks to a successful vaccination campaign, we have come a long way in dealing with the pandemic,” she is quoted by Tidningen Näringslivet as saying. “Our starting point has always been that the restrictions should be lifted as soon as possible.”

This means that the two issues that had been raised by PGL have been overcome and that the Major can take place in Stockholm after all. The tournament organizer had revealed in July that it was in discussions with two other European countries about moving the event if their conditions weren’t met.

The issues

PGL expressed concerns about the number of spectators allowed inside the Avicii Arena, which has a capacity of almost 14,000 people for sporting events. It also raised fears that not all players would be allowed entry into Sweden given the country’s tight travel restrictions.

The first hurdle was cleared on August 19, when Sweden announced that esports athletes would be able to enter the country, regardless of their country of origin, as long as they produced a negative test.

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PGL is yet to comment on the news. The Major is slated to take place from October 23 to November 7, with 24 teams in attendance and a $2 million prize pool.