All top 12 teams from HLTV’s world rankings are competing after receiving direct invitations, while FURIA and regional underdogs M80, Imperial, and The Huns secured their spots through the BLAST Rising qualifiers. Astralis also made it through the same route. Due to seeding based on an older version of Valve’s rankings, Spirit and back-to-back champions Vitality find themselves in a particularly tough Group A.
The format of the tournament mirrors IEM Katowice and Cologne, featuring two groups of eight teams in a double-elimination bracket. Three teams from each group will move on to the playoffs, with upper bracket winners going straight to the semi-finals, while two more from each group will qualify through the lower bracket. All matches will be best-of-three, except for the grand final, which will be a best-of-five.
The group stage follows a rolling schedule with four matches per day, starting at 16:00 CET. Playoffs will take place from March 28-30, with the grand final set for Sunday at 20:30 CET. Here are the opening matches:
The tournament offers a total prize pool of $400,000, with the winner taking home $150,000 and three Frequent Flyer tokens, while the runner-up secures $60,000 and one token. Prize money decreases from there, with 13th-16th place earning $5,000 each. Unlike ESL and PGL, which use a club-share model to boost their prize pools to $1 million, BLAST sticks to a traditional distribution method. However, teams will still receive participation fees and benefit from the $2.5 million annual Frequent Flyers program.
The broadcast lineup features top-tier talent, including Nathan "NBK-" Schmitt as the desk’s ex-pro alongside Jacob "Pimp" Winneche, Alex "Mauisnake" Ellenberg, and returning YouTuber Donald "voo" Parkhurst. Commentators Alex "Machine" Richardson and Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill will also be on board, bringing their signature energy.
Knives are some of the most valuable items in CS2. They are a favorite option for anyone who plays the game regularly. While some use them merely as a cosmetic improvement to their weapons, others prefer to get them to create a valuable collection. Having the most expensive CS2 knife in your arsenal can give you a feeling of pride, especially knowing everyone will admire it and probably ask you if you’re thinking of selling it. But what is the most expensive knife in CS2? This post will reveal the priciest options, so let’s get started.
Rollbit is an awesome crypto-casino where you can win big money playing casino games, trade crypto, buy and sell NFTs, and place sports bets. Sounds really tempting, and anyone who hasn't tried it yet is probably itching to test their luck on Rollbit. But how can people in the USA use this platform, and what should you do if you face access restrictions? Spoiler: there's a solution!
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