BLAST Premier Open 2026 confirmed for Rotterdam

BLAST, the world-renowned esports tournament organizer, announced that it will bring the BLAST Premier Open to the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in March 2026. This will be BLAST's first time in the Netherlands.

This tournament will invite 16 of the world's strongest Counter-Strike 2 teams to compete for a $400,000 prize pool. Twelve of these teams will be directly invited based on their Valve global rankings, while the remaining four will be selected through open qualifiers.

The teams will first compete at the Copenhagen studio, ultimately selecting six teams to compete on the Ahoy Arena stage from March 27th to 29th. The venue, having hosted the 2019 League of Legends European Championship (LEC) Spring Finals, has extensive experience in hosting large-scale esports events.

Meanwhile, the 2025 BLAST Open London is gearing up for its launch. The event will be held at the OVO Arena in Wembley, with a total prize pool of $330,000. BLAST has continuously expanded its reach in recent years, with events in cities around the world, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Rio, Munich, Austin, and Boston. The 2025 event alone has already garnered over 89 million views, establishing BLAST as a key global esports brand.

Andrew Haworth, Senior Vice President of BLAST Ecosystem, said: “Rotterdam has a passionate esports fan base, and Ahoy Arena will be the perfect new stage for BLAST. Spectators can expect world-class competition, unforgettable moments, and the same high-quality production that we’ve always enjoyed.”