BLAST Premier have announced the list of teams set to compete at BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1, the first major CS2 tournament of the new season. The event will feature 32 teams, selected based on the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) as of December 1, although several top organizations have opted to decline their invites. The final stage will take place on January 23–25, 2026, in Malta, with a total prize pool of $1,150,000.
Tournament favorites: who will set the pace at the start of the season
Revealing the teams who are going to be kicking off the 2026 Counter-Strike calendar with a BANG at the BLAST Bounty! 💰#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/tajyMJspO5
— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) December 17, 2025
According to the VRS ranking, the highest-seeded teams attending BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 are:
- FURIA
- Falcons
- Vitality
These three teams enter the tournament as the clear favorites. After a successful 2025 campaign, Vitality remain the benchmark for consistency, Falcons continue to stand out as one of the most ambitious projects on the scene, while FURIA retain their reputation as a team capable of dictating the tempo at any event.
They will be joined by FaZe Clan, Team Spirit, NAVI, Astralis, Heroic, Team Liquid, Virtus.pro, GamerLegion, ENCE, Monte, OG, Complexity, Fnatic, BIG, NRG, Imperial, and several other teams, forming a deep and competitive field with no obvious easy matchups.
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The main talking point: teams that declined invites
Despite the tournament’s status, 11 teams have chosen to decline their invitations to BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1. The list includes both European powerhouses and leading teams from other regions:
- MOUZ
- The MongolZ
- G2
- Legacy
- B8
- SAW
- FlyQuest
- Lynn Vision
- MIBR
- TYLOO
- Fluxo
The absence of MOUZ, G2, and The MongolZ is the most significant development. In 2025, these teams consistently reached the later stages of major tournaments and had a major influence on the CS2 meta. Their decision to skip BLAST Bounty noticeably shifts the balance of power and opens up new opportunities for other contenders.
While no official reasons have been provided, the most likely explanations in the context of the season’s opening include:
- a congested calendar and a desire to avoid early burnout;
- preparation for other priority events in the first half of 2026;
- internal roster or structural changes that teams are unwilling to test at a major tournament.
Format and strategic importance of BLAST Bounty
BLAST Bounty is traditionally seen not just as another tournament, but as an entry point into the season, where the year’s first major narrative begins to take shape. For mid-tier teams, it represents a chance to:
- make a strong early statement;
- secure early VRS points, which could prove decisive for spring event invites;
- take advantage of the absence of several top teams and go further than usual.
For the favorites, BLAST Bounty serves as an early test of stability, discipline, and readiness to perform under pressure, at a time when peak form is still far away.
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Expectations for the season opener
Despite several high-profile absences, BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 promises to be a competitive and unpredictable event. A stacked lineup, a massive prize pool, and early ranking implications make it one of the key tournaments at the start of the year.
For the CS2 scene, it will be the first serious indicator of who enters 2026 ready to fight for trophies, and who has chosen to take a step back — with all the long-term risks that decision may carry in the battle for global ranking positions.
