BLAST Premier Bounty Season 1 2026: Key dates and tournament format
In January, Malta hosts the launch of a new Counter-Strike 2 season, showcasing the updated rosters of the world’s elite teams. In this 1xBet review, we break down everything you need to know about BLAST Premier Bounty Season 1 2026.
Key dates
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 (alternative name) takes place in Malta from January 13 to 25. A total of 32 teams compete for a $1,150,000 prize pool.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
- January 9 — Draft Show
- January 13–18 — Play-In Stage (Online)
- January 22–25 — Playoffs Stage (LAN)
During the Draft Show, teams select their opponents for the opening matches (more on this process below). In the Play-In Stage, all 32 participants fight for eight places in the Playoffs—those who advance then battle for the championship title on the main stage at BLAST Arena Studios.
Tournament participants
Qualification for BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 was determined by the December edition of the Valve Global Ranking. The full lineup of teams competing at the event includes:
- FURIA
- Falcons
- Vitality
- Aurora
- Team Spirit
- Team Liquid
- FaZe Clan
- PARIVISION
- GamerLegion
- NAVI
- Gentle Mates
- Astralis
- HEROIC
- 3DMAX
- paiN Gaming
- FUT Esports
- OG
- Monte
- 9INE
- ENCE
- EYEBALLERS
- Inner Circle
- BetBoom
- Fnatic
- M80
- SINNERS
- Passion UA
- HOTU
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Virtus.pro
- NRG
- ECSTATIC
Notably, three teams from the VRS Top 10 declined their invitations: MOUZ, The MongolZ, and G2. The tournament is also skipped by Legacy, Imperial, B8, SAW, FlyQuest, Lynn Vision, MIBR, TYLOO, and Fluxo.
Format
The BLAST Premier Bounty series stands out thanks to a distinctive format not used in any other CS2 competition.
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 began with the Draft Show, in which teams ranked 17th to 32nd chose their opponents from the top 16. However, the decision-making process proves more nuanced than it initially appears. Every match follows a single-elimination format. Opting for a stronger opponent risks an early exit, while selecting a weaker one increases the chances of advancing but significantly limits potential prize earnings.
Each team in the top half of the ranking carries a predefined bounty:
- Tier 1 ($60,000): FURIA, Falcons, Vitality, Aurora
- Tier 2 ($30,000): NAVI, Liquid, Astralis, Spirit
- Tier 3 ($20,000): paiN, HEROIC, FaZe Clan, 3DMAX
- Tier 4 ($15,000): Gentle Mates, PARIVISION, FUT, GamerLegion
Defeating a higher-ranked opponent awards the winner half of that team’s bounty. For example, a victory over one of the top four teams immediately secures $30,000. The remaining bounty carries over to the next match and is added to the team’s cumulative prize total. After each round, teams are re-ranked based on the strength of the opponent they defeat, and the draft process repeats.
Following two Play-In rounds (Round of 32 and Round of 16), eight teams advance to the LAN stage, where they compete in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand final.
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 favorites
So far, BLAST has hosted only two events in this series, and both were won by Team Spirit. The squad defeated Eternal Fire in the Spring 2025 final and The MongolZ in the Fall 2025 final.
From a statistical perspective, the “Dragons” enter BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 as the clear favorites. Vitality also boasts strong credentials after winning both Major tournaments in 2025, while FURIA closed the season in impressive form. Falcons, widely viewed as the most star-studded CS2 roster, are also among the top contenders.
Follow the first major esports tournament of 2026 together with 1xBet! What is 1xBet? It is a leading international betting platform with more than 20 years of industry experience and an official sponsor of top esports teams such as The MongolZ, Aurora, and MIBR, as well as organizations including ESL, PGL, and HLTV.
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