NaVi Will win
The match between Natus Vincere and The MongolZ will take place in the 2–1 pool of PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026. This is one of the key matches of the stage, as the winner will secure a spot in the playoffs, while the losing side will drop to the 2–2 bracket and continue fighting for survival in the tournament. The match is scheduled for February 17 at 15:00 CET.
In this prediction, we will analyze the bookmakers’ odds, the current form of both teams, roster updates, the potential map pool in a bo3 format, head-to-head statistics, and the key factors that could influence the final outcome.
Bookmakers Offers For The Match NAVI vs The MongolZ
Bookmakers consider NAVI the clear favorite in this matchup. The average odds for a NAVI victory stand at 1.46, while The MongolZ are priced at 2.68, placing the Mongolian squad in the underdog role.
NAVI vs The MongolZ Line-Ups
Natus Vincere have been playing with a relatively new addition to their roster for just over six months. Over the past three months, makazze has shown consistent form with a 1.07 rating, gradually establishing himself as an important piece of the lineup and adding depth to the roster.
The MongolZ, after moving senzu to the bench, entrusted cobrazera with a starting role. He has been part of the active lineup for only a month, but despite the short adaptation period, he is already posting a solid 1.05 rating and steadily integrating into the team’s system.
NAVI vs The MongolZ Form & Performance
Over the last three months, NAVI have played 35 maps, winning 19 of them. In the past month, the team competed at IEM Kraków 2026, where they finished 9th–12th — an unexpected result considering their playoff run at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.
In their last five matches, NAVI secured two victories against Astralis and Aurora, while suffering losses to MOUZ, FURIA, and Team Spirit.
The MongolZ have played 21 maps in the same period, winning 10. At IEM Kraków 2026, they placed 13th–16th — a slightly weaker result than NAVI, but not drastically different.
In their last five matches, The MongolZ defeated B8 and paiN Gaming, but fell to Team Vitality, FURIA, and G2 Esports.
Map Pool For Match NAVI vs The MongolZ
NAVI. The Ukrainian side traditionally removes Overpass as their first ban, and they are unlikely to change that pattern here. In response, The MongolZ are expected to ban Anubis, based on their usual tendencies. For their map pick, NAVI are likely to choose Nuke — a map with a 50% win rate and positive history against this opponent. In the second banning phase, NAVI may remove Mirage, one of The MongolZ’s strongest maps.
The MongolZ. After banning Anubis, The MongolZ will likely focus on one of their comfort picks — Ancient or Mirage. Considering Mirage could be removed by NAVI in the second phase, Ancient (67% win rate) appears to be the more logical choice. In their second ban, The MongolZ could eliminate Inferno, a map NAVI occasionally lean toward. That scenario would likely leave Dust2 as the decider — a relatively neutral battleground for both teams.
NAVI vs The MongolZ Head-To-Head
The teams have faced each other twice in the past six months. The first meeting took place at ESL Pro League Season 22 (LAN, bo3), where NAVI secured a confident 2–0 victory: Nuke (13:3) and Ancient (16:12).
Their second encounter was at the Thunderpick World Championship (online, bo3), and it proved more competitive. NAVI once again came out on top 2–1: Mirage (13:9), Nuke (3:13), and Ancient (13:10). Both series ended in favor of the Ukrainian side, giving them a psychological edge heading into this matchup.
Best Pick For Match NAVI vs The MongolZ
Recent head-to-head statistics favor NAVI, who have won both bo3 encounters against The MongolZ. Despite an inconsistent showing at IEM Kraków 2026, NAVI possess greater experience at the highest level and a deeper map pool.
An additional factor working in NAVI’s favor is the individual form of b1t, who is currently posting a 1.23 rating at this tournament and consistently winning key duels.
Considering their head-to-head record, broader big-match experience, and the strong individual form of their key players, the prediction for this match is a 2–1 victory for NAVI.
Prediction: NAVI to win 2–1.
According to leading bookmakers predictions, the team NaVi are the favorite with average odds 1.39 at the moment. Respectively, bookmakers consider The MongolZ to be the outsider of the match with odds on a victory in the sum of about 2.813.
How did the participants perform in the last matches
| Last Matches | NaVi | The MongolZ |
| 5 matches (wins) | 3 | 2 |
| 10 matches (wins) | 6 | 4 |
It will also be necessary to mention the history of face-to-face meetings between the opponents. The participants in the battle before the meeting played 7 matches with each other. In these matches NaVi won 5 times, The MongolZ active consisits of 2 wins.
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