Disclaimer: Predictions are based on opinion and should not be construed as betting advice. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes. Odds and VRS rankings are accurate as of January 12, 2026, and are subject to change at any time.

The BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 tournament is kicking off another year of Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports with a bang. Following the offseason roster changes, all eyes will turn to the online Closed Qualifier ahead of the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 LAN Finals taking place in Malta later this month.

In this guide, we’ll share our BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier predictions and power rankings based on the latest CS2 betting odds and performance indicators.

BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier Power Rankings

From January 13–18, 2026, 32 teams will compete for eight spots at the LAN Finals. Sparks are set to fly at BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier, as most of the best CS2 teams take their initial steps towards the first top-tier trophy of 2026—and a piece of a $1,150,000 prize pool.

To inform our betting predictions, we used the official VRS rankings and bookmaker odds as of January 12. We use decimal odds (Stake x Odds = Payout), but also provide American odds and the implied probability. 

Odds represent a bookmaker’s confidence in an outcome occurring, and therefore play a critical role in determining a team’s expected strength. Remember that odds might change as the tournament progresses.

Team Spirit (#1)

Team Spirit is, technically, the reigning champions, having dispatched The MongolZ with a quick 3-0 to win BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 2 on August 17, 2025. After placing 3rd-4th at the StarLadder Budapest Major, the organization made some huge roster changes during the offseason.

IGL Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov was benched, and Ivan “zweih” Gogin moved to PARIVISION. In their place, we saw the return of Boris “magixx” Vorobyev and Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia. 

This change should invigorate one of the best CS2 players, Danil “donk” Kryshkovets. Despite the positive roster changes, you should consider our #1 pick, Team Spirit, ahead of the next two squads, as our bold prediction.

Odds of 4.75 (+375) indicate there’s a 21.05% chance that Team Spirit will lift the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 trophy.

Team Vitality (#2)

After clinching nine top-tier LAN trophies in 2025, including both the BLAST.tv Austin Major and the StarLadder Budapest Major, we are currently in what CS2 esports experts might describe as the “Team Vitality era.” 

However, the question on everyone’s mind is: How long can Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s men remain on top? We think Team Vitality will remain a top contender throughout 2026. As the #1 team on the VRS, it would be an insane upset if the squad didn’t make it past this Closed Qualifier.

Odds of 2.75 (+175) indicate an implied probability of 36.36% that Team Vitality won’t just make it to Malta—but also lift the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 trophy. Those odds don’t come as a surprise, since there were no roster changes to the winning lineup during the offseason.

FURIA (#3)

Led by two-time Major Championship winner, the legendary Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, FURIA is another shoo-in to make it past the Closed Qualifier stage.

As the #2 team on the global VRS, FURIA made waves in the second half of 2025, winning three consecutive top-tier LAN events: Thunderpick World Championship, IEM Chengdu, and BLAST Rivals Season 2.

While FURIA went into the StarLadder Budapest Major as the favorites, they fell to NAVI for a 5th-8th finish. Despite this, FURIA didn’t make any roster changes during the offseason after the setback in Hungary.

There’s confidence that FURIA can claim a podium finish at BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1. Odds of 3.25 (+225) indicate a 30.77% chance for FalleN’s men to lift the trophy.

Team Falcons (#4)

The Saudi Arabian organization’s CS2 superteam didn’t make a single roster change in the offseason.

While that might come as a bit of a surprise, considering Team Falcons’ failure to lift more than one top-tier trophy in 2025, it’s fantastic to see that the roster has been given some time in the oven.

Despite the lack of trophies, Team Falcons has made it deep in nearly every event they entered, resulting in a #3 spot on the global VRS. It would be considered a huge upset if Team Falcons didn’t make it past the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier.

Odds of 4.00 (+300) indicate there’s a 25% chance that Team Falcons will soar past the competition to claim the crown.

FaZe Clan (#5)

With the legendary Danish IGL Finn “karrigan” Andersen calling the shots, FaZe Clan stunned the community at StarLadder Budapest Major, making an incredible underdog run from Stage 1 all the way to the Grand Final.

If FaZe Clan can keep up their momentum, there’s no reason to doubt a deep run. Odds of 12.00 (+1100) indicate an 8.33% chance that FaZe Clan could win it all. Therefore, they are a strong contender to make it past the Closed Qualifier.

NAVI (#6)

As the #4 team on the global VRS, NAVI showed renewed form at the StarLadder Budapest Major, placing 3rd-4th, and didn’t make any roster changes during the offseason.

The squad has stabilized well after adding rifler Drin “makazze” Shaqiri to replace Justinas “jL” Lekavičius in July 2025. 

Odds of 10.00 (+900) show that NAVI has an implied probability of 10% to win the entire event. It would be considered an upset if Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen didn’t lead his team to the LAN finals in Malta.

Aurora Gaming (#7)

There’s no denying that the all-Turkish lineup of Aurora Gaming has enough firepower to take down nearly any opponent—on a good day.

With İsmailсan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş as the spearhead of attack, Aurora Gaming is primed for success at the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier.

While odds of 15.00 (+1400) indicate there’s a 6.67% chance of Aurora Gaming lifting the trophy, making it through the Closed Qualifier is way more likely. After all, Aurora Gaming is #9 on the global VRS and is considered the 7th-best team at the event. 

Note: During the offseason, Samet “jottAAA” Köklü stepped down from the active lineup. Aurora Gaming added Caner “soulfly” Kesici on December 27 as a replacement.

Team Liquid (#8)

Despite crashing out with a 0–3 record in Stage 3 of the StarLadder Budapest Major, Team Liquid made no roster changes. The squad is currently ranked #13 on the global VRS and is considered the 8th-best at the BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier.

Odds of 26.00 (+2500) put Team Liquid well above the closest contenders (PARIVISION and 3DMAX), indicating there’s a 3.85% chance of claiming the crown. That said, the chances are good that Team Liquid could punch their ticket to Malta.

FAQs

Who Are The Favorites To Win BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1?

Odds of 2.75 (+175) indicate that Team Vitality is the favorite to win the entire event, with a 36.36% chance of success. However, given the positive roster changes at Team Spirit, they are our top pick.

How Are These BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier Power Rankings Decided?

We considered several factors, including roster changes, past performance, expected player form, expert opinions, and bookmaker odds, to inform our power rankings. 

Where Can I Watch BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1?

CS2 esports fans can watch BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 action via the official BLAST.tv website or BLAST YouTube and Twitch channels.

What Is The BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier Schedule?

BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Closed Qualifier runs from January 13–18, 2026. 

Who Are The BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 Underdogs?

With odds of 501.00 (+50000) indicating a mere 0.20% chance of going all the way, Monte, 9INE, SINNERS Esports, and NRG are the clear underdogs.

References

1. Changes in the Team Spirit CS2 roster (TeamSpirit)
2. Aurora CS2 в X (X)
3. BLAST.tv – Games, Tournaments, Simulators & News (Blast)
4. BLAST Premier (YouTube)
5. BLASTPremier (Twitch)