BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1: Schedule, Format, Teams & How To Watch
The Counter-Strike 2 esports calendar kicks off with BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1, bringing back Closed Qualifiers and its signature draft system. The world’s top CS2 teams enter as prime targets, while underdogs chase bounties, all culminating in an electrifying LAN Playoffs in Malta.
Here’s a complete guide to BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1, including the schedule, format, teams, prize pool, stream links, and ticket information.
BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Location & Dates
BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 begins on January 13 and runs through January 25, 2026. The Closed Qualifiers will be played online, but the Playoffs will take place in front of a live audience at the BLAST Arena Studios in Attard, Malta.
BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Schedule
This table outlines the full BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 schedule, including each stage and its corresponding dates.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Closed Qualifiers | January 13–18, 2026 |
| Playoffs | January 22–25, 2026 |
Note: For more specific match fixtures, you can refer to the official BLAST.tv website.
BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Format
Building on the format changes introduced at BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 1, which added a draft system for the seeding stage, the organizers are keeping the same structure.
The Closed Qualifiers (January 13–18) will be held online on the European server, featuring a total of 32 teams. The 16 lowest-seeded teams will then select their opponents from the top 16 seeds. All matches will be played as best-of-three series under a single-elimination format.
After the Round of 32, the winners will advance to the Round of 16, where teams will be reseeded based on their previous opponent selections. The lower-seeded teams then choose their rivals once again.
The top eight teams will then move to a single-elimination LAN event in Malta (January 22–25). Playoffs bracket games will be played as best-of-three series, except for the Grand Final, which will be played as a best-of-five series.
Prize Pool Distribution
BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 features a total prize pool of $1.15 million, divided into team earnings ($500,000) and Club Share ($650,000).
Instead of a traditional fixed prize pool, BLAST Bounty tournaments follow a dynamic system where teams earn rewards based on the opponents they defeat and claim their “bounty.” Teams can claim 50% of the bounty from each match, while the remaining 50% rolls over to the next game, adding to the winning team’s bounty.
The Bounty Simulator and Leaderboard provide real-time updates on team values. Here’s how the final money will be distributed:
| Place | Team Share | Club Share | Total Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st–4th | $60,000 | $40,000 | $100,000 |
| 5th–8th | $30,000 | $40,000 | $70,000 |
| 9th–12th | $20,000 | $26,250 | $46,250 |
| 13th–16th | $15,000 | $26,250 | $41,250 |
| 17th–32nd | — | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Grand Total | $500,000 | $650,000 | $1,150,000 |
Teams Competing At BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1
The 32 best CS2 teams are participating in BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1. Each earned its spot based on Valve Regional Standings (VRS) on December 1, 2025.
- FURIA
- Vitality
- Falcons
- NAVI
- Team Spirit
- FaZe
- Aurora
- 3DMAX
- paiN
- Astralis
- Team Liquid
- Passion UA
- HEROIC
- PARIVISION
- GamerLegion
- Virtus.pro
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- M80
- Gentle Mates
- FUT
- Fnatic
- NRG
- BetBoom
- EYEBALLERS
- HOTU
- Inner Circle
- Monte
- ENCE
- 9INE
- ECSTATIC*
- OG
- SINNERS
Note: On December 23, 2025, the tournament organizer confirmed ECSTATIC will replace Imperial Esports for BLAST Bounty Season 1. MOUZ, The MongolZ, and G2, who ranked highly in the December VRS, declined the invitation to attend the event.
How To Watch BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1
You can watch the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 on the BLAST.tv website or on the tournament organizer’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.
Tickets
Tickets to attend the in-person event in Malta are available for purchase through Eventworks. The prices range from €10 ($12) to €30 ($35).
| Days | Price | Booking fees |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | €10 | $12 | €0.80 |
| Friday | ||
| Saturday | ||
| Sunday | €15 | $17 | €1.20 |
| Weekend Pass (Thursday–Sunday) | €30 | $35 | €2.40 |
FAQs
When and where will BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 take place?
The BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Playoffs will be held at the BLAST Arena Studios in Attard, Malta, from January 22–25, 2026.
What is the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 prize pool?
BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 features a $1.15 million prize pool, split between $500,000 in Team Share and $650,000 in Club Share, with each of the top four teams earning $60,000.
How can I watch BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1?
You can watch all the action of BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 on the official BLAST.tv website as well as on Twitch and YouTube.
Where can I purchase BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 tickets?
You can purchase tickets to attend the tournament directly from the Eventworks website.
Who can qualify for the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 LAN event?
Based on Valve Global Ranking on January 8, 2026, FURIA (#1), Team Vitality (#2), Falcons (#3), and NAVI (#4) are among the strongest teams competing at BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1. These teams are expected to qualify for the LAN Playoffs in Malta.
References
- BLAST.tv – Games, Tournaments, Simulators & News (BLAST)
- BLAST Premier Bounty S1 2026 Simulator (BLAST)
- Virtus.pro – official website (Virtus.pro)
- ECSTATIC to play BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 in place of Imperial (HLTV.org)
- BLASTPremier (Twitch)
- BLAST Premier Bounty Malta 2026, First Round – LIVE DRAFT SHOW (YouTube)
- BLAST Premier Bounty S1 ’26 (EventWorks tickets)
