MPKBK has announced a new $50,000 Counter-Strike 2 LAN event in Moscow, dropping at a very deliberate moment on the competitive calendar. The tournament will run from April 2 to 5, landing just one day before the VRS ranking cut off used for invites to the IEM Cologne Major.

For teams hovering around the qualification bubble, this is the kind of last chance LAN that can change everything. Here is what teams need to know.

CIS LAN #4 Dates, Format, And Location

The event, officially titled CIS LAN #4, will be held entirely offline in Moscow, Russia, continuing the organiser’s LanDaLan series. Sixteen teams will compete across four days, with every match played as a best of three.

The group stage uses a GSL format, followed by a single elimination playoff bracket. There are no online matches, every stage takes place on LAN.

The venue is Izi in Moscow, using the same PCs and monitors from LanDaLan #3.

Registration Details And Entry Requirements

Registration opens on February 16 and runs on a first come, first served basis. Each team must pay a $3,000 entry fee, with payment required within 120 hours once a payment link is issued. Only one team per organisation is allowed.

MPKBK has confirmed that it will not provide travel or visa assistance. All players must be able to travel to Russia and obtain the required documentation. The organiser may request proof of travel ability, and failure to provide it can result in removal from the event.

Teams must confirm participation by March 13, otherwise their slot will be passed to the next team in line.

VRS Impact And Eligibility Rules

There are no direct VRS invites or wildcards. Any team from Valve’s Global Region is eligible to sign up, provided they meet travel requirements.

Seeding will be based on Valve’s official VRS rankings published in March. Following a formal application, HLTV.org will decide which matches and stages count toward VRS. That status is not guaranteed until officially confirmed.

This timing makes the event especially valuable for teams sitting just outside Major invite positions, as the April 6 VRS snapshot will determine invites for Cologne.

Prize Pool Breakdown

The $50,000 prize pool is funded through team registration fees and sponsors. The distribution is heavily weighted toward the top finishers.

First place takes $30,000
Second place earns $10,000
Third place receives $5,000
Fourth place gets $2,000
Fifth to sixth place earn $1,000 each
Seventh to eighth place receive $500 each

Why These LANs Matter More Than Ever

LanDaLan events have already shown how impactful regional LANs can be under the current VRS system. PARIVISION’s win at Majestic LanDaLan 3 last September pushed the team into the European top 15 and helped secure an invite to the StarLadder Budapest Major.

That run snowballed into further invites in 2026, before the team climbed to fourth in the global rankings after winning the BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals, sweeping Falcons in the final.

CIS LAN #4 is designed to offer that same opportunity, giving one or two teams a realistic shot at forcing their way into the Cologne Major conversation.

What Comes Next

With registration opening soon and slots limited, teams looking to make a late Major push will be watching this event closely. If history is any indication, Moscow could once again be where a Major storyline quietly begins.

The post MPKBK Announces $50,000 Moscow LAN Ahead Of IEM Cologne Major VRS Cut-Off appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Counter-Strike 2 is heading to London for one of the biggest tournaments of the year, BLAST Open London 2025. With $400,000 on the line, the world’s top squads and rising challengers are set to battle it out, starting with online matches on August 27th before the LAN finals at London’s OVO Arena Wembley.

Tomorrow we kick off the Road to Wembley with the opening day of the BLAST Open London! 🇬🇧

Live from 11:30 CEST 👉 https://t.co/kGicP4HiYG#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/ZNII9TZTnQ

— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) August 26, 2025

Tournament Format

The event kicks off online, with 16 teams split into two groups of eight. Each group uses a double-elimination GSL format, with all games played as best-of-three.

• Group winners qualify straight into the semi-finals.
• Second place advances to the quarter-finals as higher seeds.
• Third place also heads into quarters as lower seeds.

The online stage runs August 27th – September 1st, followed by the LAN finals from September 5th – 7th. At Wembley, the format switches to a single-elimination bracket, one loss, and you’re out.

Teams and Rosters

The final lineup of 16 includes a mix of VRS-invited powerhouses and regional challengers. After some last-minute changes, Fnatic stepping in for HEROIC, Imperial replacing PaiN Gaming, and Team Liquid coming in for The MongolZ, here’s the full team list with rosters:

Team Vitality (VRS Invite)

• ropz (EE)
• mezii (GB)
• flameZ (IL)
• ZywOo (FR)
• apEX (FR)

MOUZ (VRS Invite)

• Spinx (IL)
• Brollan (SE)
• Jimpphat (FI)
• xertioN (IL)
• torzsi (HU)

Team Spirit (VRS Invite)

• zweih (RU)
• donk (RU)
• sh1ro (RU)
• zont1x (UA)
• chopper (RU)

Team Liquid (VRS Invite)

• siuhy (PL)
• ultimate (PL)
• NertZ (IL)
• Twistzz (CA)
• NAF-FLY (CA)

Legacy (VRS Invite)

• lux (BR)
• n1ssim (BR)
• saadzin (BR)
• dumau (BR)
• latto (BR)

FaZe Clan (VRS Invite)

• jcobbb (PL) debut
• broky (LV)
• frozen (SK)
• karrigan (DK)
• rain (NO)

Natus Vincere (VRS Invite)

• makazze (XK)
• w0nderful (UA)
• iM (RO)
• Aleksib (FI)
• b1t (UA)

FURIA (VRS Invite)

• YEKINDAR (LV)
• molodoy (KZ)
• KSCERATO (BR)
• yuurih (BR)
• FalleN (BR)

G2 Esports (VRS Invite)

• SunPayus (ES)
• MATYS (SK)
• HeavyGod (IL)
• malbsMd (GT)
• huNter (BA)

GamerLegion (VRS Invite)

• Kursy (FR)
• REZ (SE)
• PR (CZ)
• Tauson (DK)
• ztr (SE)

Fnatic (VRS Invite)

• CYPHER (GB)
• KRIMZ (SE)
• jambo (UA)
• fear (UA)
• blameF (DK)

Virtus.pro (VRS Invite)

• Perfecto (RU)
• ICY (KZ)
• electronic (RU)
• fame (RU)
• FL1T (RU)

ECSTATIC (Rising EU)

• sirah (DK)
• TMB (DK)
• nut nut (DK)
• Anlelele (DK)
• kristou (DK)

M80 (Rising NA)

• HexT (CA)
• Lake (US)
• s1n (DE)
• slaxz- (DE)
• Swisher (US)

Imperial Esports (Rising SA)

• skullz (BR)
• chelo (BR)
• chayJESUS (BR)
• try (AR)
• noway (BR)

FlyQuest (Rising Asia)

• jks (AU)
• nettik (NZ)
• regali (RO)
• Vexite (AU)
• INS (AU)

Prize Pool

The $400,000 prize pool will be split as follows:

• 1st place – $150,000
• 2nd place – $60,000
• 3rd–4th – $40,000 each
• 5th–6th – $20,000 each
• 7th–8th – $10,000 each
• 9th–12th – $7,500 each
• 13th–16th – $5,000 each

Opening Day Schedule

The first day of matches is already locked in, with some spicy openers:

• Team Vitality vs M80 – 11 am BST
• MOUZ vs Imperial Esports – 11 am BST
• Virtus.pro vs GamerLegion – 1.30 pm BST
• Team Liquid vs G2 Esports – 1.30 pm BST

• ECSTATIC vs FaZe Clan – 4 pm BST
• FlyQuest vs Team Spirit – 4 pm BST
• NAVI vs Fnatic – 6.30 pm BST
• FURIA vs Legacy – 6.30 pm BST

Group A Blast Open Londor | Image via Blast.tv

Group B Blast Open London | Image via Blast.tv

Note for NZ fans: These times are listed in BST (British Summer Time) since the LAN finals are in London. For us, that means matches kick off late evening and run overnight, so get ready for some long nights if you’re tuning in live.

How To Watch

You can catch all the action live on BLAST’s official YouTube and Twitch channels, with plenty of popular streamers also co-streaming matches for alternative commentary.

BLAST Open London 2025 isn’t just about the prize money, it’s about bragging rights, Valve Regional Standings points, and proving who’s really the best in CS2 right now. Whether you’re backing giants like Vitality and Spirit, or cheering for the underdogs like FlyQuest or ECSTATIC, Wembley is set to deliver some massive Counter-Strike moments.

The post BLAST Open London 2025: Schedule, Format, and Teams You Need to Know appeared first on Shane the Gamer.