The BLAST Bounty Season 2 2026 online stage was an absolute graveyard for Counter-Strike’s elite. In a week defined by massive upsets, the old guard was continuously dismantled by hungry challengers and fresh rosters.
The Top-10 Massacre
If you were a top-10 team in the world this past week, a target was firmly on your back. Five of the six highest-rated squads in the tournament failed to make it to Malta:
- Team Falcons were stunned by 100 Thieves in a 2-1 shocker early in the week.
- Vitality and G2 Esports were both swept aside by Team Liquid.
- FURIA suffered a 2-1 upset at the hands of DENDELE.
- Aurora, debuting a new-look roster, also failed to string together a qualifying run.
Spirit Stands Alone
World No. 4 Spirit proved to be the sole exception to the rule. They are the only top-10 team to progress from the online stage to the LAN quarter-finals. Anchored by their superstar core, they swept through the bracket, overcoming OG and closing out their run with a decisive 2-1 victory over 100 Thieves on July 26th.
New Rosters, Immediate Impact
The biggest storyline outside of the upsets was the sheer success of teams debuting new pieces:
- Liquid: Making arguably the loudest statement of the tournament, Liquid debuted their new in-game leader Johnny “JT” Theodosiou and AWPer Georgi “Jorko” Mitev. The result? Flawless 2-0 sweeps over both Vitality and G2.
- Astralis: Now playing under the tactical guidance of legendary new coach Filip “NEO” Kubski, Astralis navigated the bracket successfully, locking in their spot with a hard-fought 2-1 win over HOTU.
- The MongolZ: Shaking off their own recent roster adjustments, they eliminated HEROIC and swept Wildcard 2-0 on the final day to secure their ticket.
Here is a look at the eight teams heading to Malta, comparing their current world rankings and momentum heading into the event:
The Elite Eight
Matchups will be determined during a live draft show later this week in Malta. The teams flying out to compete for the BLAST Bounty S2 crown are:
- Spirit
- MOUZ
- The MongolZ
- FaZe (Looking to grab crucial VRS points after missing Cologne)
- Astralis
- paiN
- Liquid
- 3DMAX
