The lineup for the first BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals of 2026 is now complete, following a brutal online stage that cut the field from 32 teams down to just eight. With several big names falling early, the road to the LAN finals in Malta has already proven anything but predictable.
Only four top 10 teams managed to make it through, setting the stage for a finals event that feels wide open, and slightly chaotic, heading into late January.
Big Names Fall Short Before Malta
The online phase claimed some major casualties. FaZe, Natus Vincere, and Aurora were among the most notable teams to miss out on qualification, a result that few would have predicted at the start of the tournament.
With those exits, the final eight heading to Malta includes a mix of tournament favourites and lower seeded squads that fought their way through a demanding bracket.
Confirmed Teams For BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals
The eight teams heading to Malta are now locked in:
- Vitality
- FURIA
- Falcons
- Spirit
- Liquid
- PARIVISION
- GamerLegion
- HEROIC
The FINAL EIGHT who are heading to Malta to battle for the BLAST Bounty trophy! 🏆 #BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/wDcFxQxaBL
— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) January 18, 2026
Falcons Hit By Last Minute Roster Issue
One of the biggest storylines heading into the LAN finals is the situation surrounding Falcons. The team will be forced to compete with academy player Matej “NucleonZ” Trajkoski standing in for Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin, who is unable to attend due to visa issues.
The roster change adds another layer of uncertainty to a tournament already shaped by upsets, and it remains to be seen how Falcons will adapt on LAN against elite opposition.
Draft Show To Decide Quarter Final Matchups
The four lower seeded teams will each select one of the top seeds as their opponent during BLAST’s live draft show on Wednesday at 02:00. Liquid will have first pick, giving them a key strategic advantage before a single round is played on LAN.
The draft is expected to play a major role in shaping the tournament bracket, especially given the balance between favourites and dark horses this season.
Malta LAN Set For Late January
The BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals will run from January 22 to 25 at BLAST’s studios in Malta. With only a handful of top ranked teams remaining, a live draft deciding matchups, and roster complications already in play, the event is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable CS2 LANs of the early 2026 season.