The Rivals series from organizer BLAST returns in 2026 with some of the best Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports teams fighting for their share of a huge prize pool. After all, everything’s bigger in Texas, and that includes BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 (aka BLAST Rivals Spring 2026).
In our guide for the event, we share all of the vital tournament information, from the format and schedule to the teams and prize pool, so you can be completely prepared. We also compiled expert BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 betting predictions informed by the latest odds.
Disclaimer: All the BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 winner odds quoted and VRS Global rankings mentioned are accurate as of April 20, 2026, and are subject to change without notice.
BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 Schedule & Format
Running from April 29 to May 3, BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 takes place in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. This top-tier CS2 esports LAN event features two distinct stages of competition.
All eight teams start in the Group Stage (April 29 to 30), with two groups of four teams each. The format is double-elimination (GSL-style) with best-of-three matches. Winners of each group will advance directly to the Semifinals, while second and third-place teams advance to the Quarterfinals as the high and low seeds, respectively.
The Playoffs Stage (May 1 to 3) takes place live at the Dickies Arena and will see the final six teams duke it out in a 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 page for BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1.
Prize Pool Distribution
The event series has seen a significant increase in the prize pool. Previously, the total prize pool was $350,000, but in 2026, the prize pool jumped to $1,000,000. The total is divided into Player Share ($350,000) and Club Share ($650,000), and you can check out the prize pool distribution below.
| Place | Player Share | Club Share | Total Prize |
| 1st | $125,000 | $125,000 | $250,000 |
| 2nd | $75,000 | $125,000 | $200,000 |
| 3rd–4th | $40,000 | $90,000 | $130,000 ($260,000) |
| 5th–6th | $25,000 | $60,000 | $85,000 ($170,000) |
| 7th–8th | $10,000 | $50,000 | $60,000 ($120,000) |
| Total | $350,000 | $650,000 | $1,000,000 |
The winner of BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 also gets two Frequent Flyers tokens as part of the revenue share program. At the end of the year, $2 million will be divided among the top teams with Frequent Flyers tokens.
How To Watch BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1
To check out all the upcoming matches, navigate to our CS2 betting section. Once a match starts, click the “Live” tab or the camera icon. You’ll then see an embedded live stream and bet slip, which allows registered users to make in-play wagers using their preferred crypto.
Fans can also watch the event on the tournament organizer’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.
Teams At BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1
Eight teams will compete based on VRS Global rankings as of March 2, 2026. After a few top teams, such as Falcons and Spirit, declined invitations, BLAST revealed the final list below.
Group A teams:
- Team Vitality
- Astralis
- G2 Esports
- FUT Esports
Group B teams:
Our BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 Predictions
To create our predictions, we considered the latest outright tournament winner odds, matchup histories, and past performances.
When discussing outright winner odds, we mention both the American and Decimal formats. We further note the implied probabilities, which indicate a team’s chances of success based on the odds.
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. Always gamble responsibly.
Team Vitality (#1)
We are all living in the Team Vitality era. apEX’s men are fresh off making Counter-Strike esports history, becoming the first team ever to win two ESL Grand Slams after lifting the IEM Rio 2026 trophy in dominating fashion.
Team Vitality is an unstoppable force on the server, and there is no team competing at this event that can stop them They’re the clear favorites to claim the trophy, just like they did at BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026, where they swept NAVI.
The squad didn’t lose a single map in Rotterdam, and while Team Falcons did show Team Vitality can bleed, winning a Group Stage match at IEM Rio 2026, they are not competing in this event.
It is no surprise that the odds of 1.60 (-166.67) translate to a 62.50% chance for Team Vitality to win BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1. A spot in the Grand Final is extremely likely for Team Vitality, with odds of 1.14 (-714.29) indicating a 87.72% chance.
Team Vitality roster:
- Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
- Robin “ropz” Kool
- Shahar “flameZ” Shushan
- William “mezii” Merriman
- Dan “apEX” Madesclaire (IGL)
- Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam (Coach)
FURIA (#2)
In November 2025, at the AsiaWorld-Arena in Hong Kong, FURIA managed to claim the BLAST Rivals 2025 Season 2 trophy, making them the defending champions of this event. However, FURIA avoided Team Vitality in the Playoffs bracket and eventually beat Team Falcons, the giant slayers, in the Grand Final.
Every tournament remaining this year, and every match, is of great significance for the TWC 2025 champions. FURIA’s IGL, the two-time Major winner, Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, recently announced his planned retirement at the end of the year, so “The Professor” will surely make his last seven months of competitive play count.
Odds of 8.00 (+700) indicate that FURIA is one of the top-three favorites, with an implied probability of 12.50% to lift the trophy. There’s a 30.77% chance they’ll make an appearance in the Grand Final, as indicated by odds of 3.25 (+225).
FURIA roster:
- Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato
- Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis
- Yuri “yuurih” Boian
- Danil “molodoy” Golubenko
- Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo (IGL)
- Sidnei “sidde” Macedo (Coach)
NAVI (#3)
Ranked #2 on the VRS, NAVI has seen a resurgence in early 2026. Aleksib led his team to the ESL Pro League Season 23 trophy, and they are hungry for more.
NAVI reached the BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 final before losing 3–0 to Team Vitality. In the Quarterfinals of the IEM Rio 2026 Playoffs Stage, NAVI suffered a 2–0 defeat at the hands of Team Vitality.
While NAVI is ranked higher than FURIA on the VRS (#2 compared to #8), we’ve decided to place them third in our predictions to win BLAST Rivals Season 1 for good reason: In their most recent encounter, FURIA managed to reverse-sweep NAVI in a nailbiter of a series in Rio.
Odds of 7.50 (+650) indicate that NAVI has a 13.33% chance to win BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1, and odds of 2.87 (+187) imply a 34.84% chance they’ll make it to the Grand Final.
NAVI roster:
- Valerii “b1t” Vakhovskyi
- Mihai “iM” Ivan
- Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov
- Drin “makazze” Shaqiri
- Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen (IGL)
- Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi (Coach)
FUT Esports (#4)
Having FUT Esports above household names like Astralis, G2 Esports, and FaZe Clan may seem like a bold prediction, but it’s really not when you think about it. According to the latest outright winner odds, FUT Esports is the 4th most likely to win BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1.
The team is currently ranked #4 on VRS Global and has seen a fantastic surge in form. They finished 4th at ESL Pro League Season 23, besting MOUZ in a close 2–1 affair before getting knocked out in another close match against eventual winners, NAVI.
On April 12, at PGL Bucharest 2026 in Romania, FUT Esports leveled up. They claimed their first top-tier LAN event trophy by defeating Astralis with a convincing 3–1 win in the Grand Final. That’s why the odds of 10.00 (+900) indicate there’s a solid 10% chance that FUT Esports will go all the way. There’s a 22.22% chance for Krabeni to lead his team into the Grand Final, as implied by odds of 4.50 (+350).
FUT Esports roster:
- Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko
- Mykyta “cmtry” Samolotov
- Džiugas “dziugss” Steponavičius
- Laurențiu “lauNX” Țârlea
- Aulon “Krabeni” Fazlija (IGL)
- András “coolio” Fercsák (Coach)
Get Ready For BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1
Team Vitality enter as clear favorites, but this event still has room for a surprise run. FURIA and NAVI both have strong cases to challenge for the title, while FUT Esports arrive in Fort Worth with momentum and upset potential. Plus, with only eight teams in attendance, every match carries a lot of weight.
Put your CS2 esports knowledge to the test by visiting our CS2 betting page, where you can watch all the BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 matches while placing wagers using your favorite cryptocurrencies.
Always practice Responsible Gambling and check out our latest promo offers and boosts. T&Cs apply. 18+ to play.