With invitations for BLAST Open officially locked in and no team from the current top 12 declining its spot, concerns are growing that the new VRS system could create a clear divide between the world’s elite teams and the rest of the Counter-Strike scene. According to analyst Jesper “Udknud” Larsen, the importance of VRS points for Major qualification is already reshaping the 2026 calendar, making invitations to the biggest tournaments more valuable than ever.
No declines for BLAST Open as teams prioritize VRS
Udknud revealed that every team inside the July VRS top 12 accepted its invitation to BLAST Open. He believes the same will likely happen for PGL Bucharest and ESL Pro League, as all three tournaments offer valuable VRS points that could determine qualification for the next Major.
Earlier this month, Udknud also noted that the July 6 VRS ranking had already locked invitations for both BLAST Open and PGL Bucharest, meaning results from the ongoing XSE Pro League had no impact on those invite lists.
According to him, securing a place in the VRS top 12 has become the highest priority for organizations because it virtually guarantees invitations to the biggest tournaments throughout the season.
read more
A growing gap between Tier-1 regulars and everyone else
The analyst predicts that the second half of the season could become more divided than ever before. Teams consistently sitting inside the VRS top 12 are expected to receive invitations to nearly every major international event, while everyone outside that group will have very limited opportunities to earn points.
Udknud believes the current “A-team” category includes:
- Spirit
- Falcons
- Vitality
- NAVI
- BetBoom
- MOUZ
- Aurora
- G2
- FUT
- PARIVISION (close to securing the same status)
He argues that these organizations are already in a position where only a disastrous run of results would prevent them from qualifying directly for the next Major. Meanwhile, teams outside the top 12 may have to rely on smaller tournaments such as FISSURE 5, StarSeries, Thunderpick, and online qualifiers to improve their rankings.
read more
Community questions the calendar structure
The discussion also sparked debate about the current tournament calendar. Some fans questioned why several $1 million events earlier this year featured only a handful of top-10 teams.
Responding to the criticism, Udknud suggested that tournament scheduling was likely not designed around Major qualification cut-off dates. Because of the VRS system, organizations naturally prioritize events held before ranking deadlines, leaving some later tournaments with significantly weaker fields.
Others also questioned whether elite teams might eventually skip events like PGL Bucharest despite receiving invitations. Udknud admitted the new sticker and qualification system remains difficult to predict but argued that skipping VRS events would be a major risk, as teams could lose valuable ranking points and even Major Stage 3 invitations.
If his prediction proves correct, the second half of the 2026 season could feature an increasingly exclusive Tier-1 circuit, while the battle for VRS points intensifies among teams trying to break into the world’s top 12.
