BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 (aka BLAST Open Spring or Open Season 1) is the fifth S-Tier Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournament of the season. It’s also the halfway point to the IEM Cologne Major, so the tournament carries significant weight as teams fight to climb the Valve Regional Standings (VRS).
Join us in the excitement for this crucial event as we discuss every aspect, including the schedule and format, teams competing, how to stream it, and our expert betting predictions.
Disclaimer: All the quoted winner odds and VRS Global rankings mentioned are accurate as of March 11, 2026, and are subject to change without notice.
BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 Schedule & Format
Running from March 18 to 29, BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 features two distinct competition stages. All 16 teams will first compete in a Group Stage (March 18 to 23), which includes two groups of eight in a double-elimination GSL-style format.
Each group winner advances to the Semifinals, the runners-up advance to the Quarterfinals as the high seeds, and the third-place teams are the low seeds. The five bottom teams are eliminated. All matches are best-of-three in the Group Stage, which takes place live on LAN at the BLAST Studios venue in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The final six teams will compete in the Playoffs Stage (March 27 to 29) in front of a huge crowd at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In the single-elimination bracket, Quarterfinals and Semifinals matches are best-of-three, and the Grand Final is best-of-five.
For exact match start dates/times in your region, visit our CS2 betting page dedicated to BLAST Open Spring 2026.
Prize Pool Distribution
There’s a total prize pool of $1,100,000 on the line in Rotterdam, divided into Player Share ($400,000) and a Club Share ($700,000) portions. Check out the prize pool distribution below.
| Place | Player Share | Club Share | Total Prize |
| 1st | $150,000 | $100,000 | $250,000 |
| 2nd | $60,000 | $100,000 | $160,000 |
| 3rd–4th | $40,000 | $75,000 | $115,000 |
| 5th–6th | $20,000 | $55,000 | $75,000 |
| 7th–8th | $10,000 | $40,000 | $50,000 |
| 9th–12th | $7,500 | $25,000 | $32,500 |
| 13th–16th | $5,000 | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Total | $400,000 | $700,000 | $1,100,000 |
How To Watch BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026
Can’t make it to Copenhagen or Rotterdam to watch from the crowd? No problem! You can watch all the matches live right here at Thunderpick.
Navigate to our CS2 betting section to check out all the upcoming matches. Once a match begins, head to the “Live” tab. A live stream and bet slip will appear, where registered users can make in-play wagers using their favorite cryptocurrencies.
Alternatively, you can watch the action via the tournament organizer’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.
Teams At BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026
12 teams were invited to BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 based on their VRS Global rankings as of Feb. 2, 2026. Four teams made it past regional “Rising” events to fill the remaining slots.
Here are all 16 teams competing in the tournament, divided into their respective groups.
Group A Teams:
- FURIA
- Team Falcons
- NAVI
- FaZe Clan
- Aurora Gaming
- B8
- TYLOO (BLAST Rising Asia champion)
- NRG (BLAST Rising North America champion)
Group B Teams:
- Team Vitality
- Team Spirit
- MOUZ
- The MongolZ
- Team Liquid
- PARIVISION
- Ninjas in Pyjamas (BLAST Rising Europe champion)
- 9z Team (BLAST Rising South America champion)
Our BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 Predictions
To create our predictions, we performed diligent research. We considered various crucial factors, from results in all the top-tier events of 2026 thus far, matchup histories, and current player form.
We also considered outright betting odds the event, which we’ve outlined in both Decimal and American format, as well as implied probabilities, to indicate the chance of a team lifting the coveted trophy.
Important: These predictions reflect the perceived strength of teams based on historical trends and the latest available odds. This analysis should not be interpreted as betting advice. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes. Predictions were made before the ESL Pro League Season 23 LAN finals. Always gamble responsibly.
Team Vitality (#1)
CS2 esports fans are all living in Team Vitality’s era, with Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s men dominating most of the tournaments they enter.
While Team Vitality did show they aren’t entirely unstoppable, losing 1–2 to Team Falcons in the Semifinals of BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1, they are still the clear favorites. In 2026 thus far, Team Vitality placed 4th at BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 and lifted both the IEM Kraków 2026 and PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 trophies.
Outright tournament winner odds of 2.50 (+150) indicate there’s a whopping 40% chance that Team Vitality will win the tournament. Odds of 1.50 (-200) imply there’s a 66.67% chance we’ll see them compete in the Grand Final. These implied probabilities come as no surprise, since Team Vitality is sitting pretty at #1 on the VRS Global and HLTV world rankings.
Team Vitality roster:
- Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
- Robin “ropz” Kool
- Shahar “flameZ” Shushan
- William “mezii” Merriman
- Dan “apEX” Madesclaire (IGL)
- Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam (Coach)
Team Spirit (#2)
Before the conclusion of ESL Pro League Season 23, Team Spirit is ranked #6 on the VRS Global.
With an on-form Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, the best rifler in the world, and Boris “magixx” Vorobyev acclimating well to the leadership role, Team Spirit is our #2 pick.
Bookmakers put Team Spirit as the third most likely to win BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026. Odds of 5.50 (+450) indicate there’s a 18.18% chance that Team Spirit will win the tournament. Further, the odds of 3.25 (+225) imply there’s a 30.77% chance that Team Spirit will make it to their first Grand Final of the year.
Team Spirit roster:
- Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
- Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov
- Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia
- Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich
- Boris “magixx” Vorobyev (IGL)
- Sergey “hally” Shavayev (Coach)
Team Falcons (#3)
The Saudi Arabian-backed superteam hasn’t lived up to the hype just yet. At this tournament, we predict they’ll fall just shy of a Grand Final appearance. However, they made it to the final of BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 1 at the start of the year, eliminating Team Vitality after a 2–1 slugfest, which instills confidence.
On the biggest stages, the Falcons seem to fall short over and over again. If the #3 team on the VRS can stabilize to bring their A-game during the critical matches, there’s no reason the squad can’t bring home some silverware.
Odds of 8.00 (+700) translate to an implied probability of 12.50% for Team Falcons to go all the way, and odds of 4.00 (+300) indicate a 25.00% chance we’ll see them in the Grand Final in Rotterdam.
Team Falcons roster:
- Nikola “NiKo” Kovač
- Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov
- René “TeSeS” Madsen
- Maksim “kyousuke” Lukin
- Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski (IGL)
- Danny “zonic” Sørensen (Coach)
FURIA (#4)
At #4 on the VRS Global, the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 winners, FURIA, are our final pick, despite a recent unexpected result. FURIA didn’t make it past Stage 2 of ESL Pro League Season 23, dropping out in 9th–11th place with a score of 2–3 after suffering an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Astralis.
The loss might indicate a temporary slump, and does not necessarily mean FURIA can’t win in Rotterdam. After all, if there’s one IGL who can help his team bounce back with renewed vigor, it’s the legendary two-time Major Championship winner, Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo.
According to the outright winner odds of 5.00 (+400), FURIA is still narrowly the bookmakers’ second-favorite to win, with an implied probability of success at 20.00%. There’s a 33.33% chance that FURIA will make it to the Grand Final, as implied by odds of 3.00 (+200).
FURIA roster:
- Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato
- Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis
- Yuri “yuurih” Boian
- Danil “molodoy” Golubenko
- Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo (IGL)
- Sidnei “sidde” Macedo (Coach)
Honorable mentions go to MOUZ and PARIVISION. Both teams are incredibly strong contenders and can make it to the Grand Final.
Who Will Take Home The BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 Crown?
Team Vitality head to Rotterdam chasing another trophy in what has already been a dominant 2026 season, but the field is stacked with challengers. FURIA aim to rebound under the leadership of the legendary FalleN, Team Falcons are still searching for their breakthrough S-tier victory, and Team Spirit’s revamped roster could unleash another superstar performance from their rifling prodigy.
Want to get in on the hype? Visit our CS2 betting page, where you can watch all the BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 matches while placing bets on the action with your favorite cryptocurrency.
Always practice Responsible Gambling and check out our latest promo offers and boosts. T&Cs apply. 18+ to play.