The groups and opening matches for BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 have been confirmed

The organizers of BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 in Counter-Strike 2 have announced the seeding and opening matchups for the group stage. The tournament will take place from April 27 to May 3 in Fort Worth, USA. Eight teams will compete for a prize pool of $350,000.

The group stage of the championship will be held in a Double Elimination (GSL) format. At the end of it, the top three teams from each group will advance to the playoffs. The group winners will move directly into the semifinals, while the remaining qualified teams will begin the decisive stage from the quarterfinals. The playoffs will be played in a Single Elimination format. All matches except the final will be best-of-3, while the grand final will be best-of-5.

The participants were divided into two groups. Group A includes Vitality, Astralis, G2, and FUT, while Group B features FURIA, NAVI, FaZe, and GamerLegion.

The first round of the group stage will feature the following matches:

• Vitality vs FUT (Group A)

• Astralis vs G2 (Group A)

• NAVI vs FaZe (Group B)

• FURIA vs GamerLegion (Group B)

Particular attention on the opening day will be drawn to the NAVI vs FaZe match, as both teams have traditionally been among the most notable participants in major international tournaments. The Vitality vs FUT clash also looks especially interesting, with one of the championship favorites facing an ambitious opponent.

A third-place match will be held at PGL Singapore Major 2026

As a result, BLAST Rivals 2026 Season 1 will begin with exciting matches right from the first round, and the results of the opening games could immediately have a major impact on the balance of power in the groups.