It's almost time for the first big Counter-Strike 2 tournament of the year to begin. The BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 event starts as soon as tomorrow, January 13, wherein we will get to see 32 teams beginning their campaign to lift the trophy and earn some prize money along the way.
The format is arranged as such that before the main eight-team event occurs as of late next week, there is first a closed qualifier that must be ticked off, an event that will whittle down the 32 teams until only eight remain. This happens through two rounds of single-elimination knockout matches, where teams must win and win again to be one of the few that progress. With the round of 32 now locked in, here are the opening matches.
All round of 32 matches:
- Furia vs. 9ine
- Team Falcons vs. Ecstatic
- Team Vitality vs. Virtus.pro
- Aurora Gaming vs. HOTU
- Team Spirit vs. Sinners Esports
- Team Liquid vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Natus Vincere vs. Monte
- Astralis vs. Fnatic
- Heroic vs. NRG
- 3DMax vs. Inner Circle Esports
- PaiN Gaming vs. BetBoom Team
- FaZe Clan vs. Eyeballers
- Parivision vs. ENCE
- Gentle Mates vs. M80
- GamerLegion vs. Passion UA
- FUT Esports vs. OG
Who do you think will go the distance?
