The eight teams set to compete at the first BLAST Bounty Finals of 2026 have been confirmed after the online stage reduced a starting field of 32 squads down to the final eight who will travel to the LAN in Malta. The concluding online matches decided which organisations earned their spots at BLAST's studios for the in-person portion of the event.
Several high-profile names failed to make the cut, with FaZe, Natus Vincere and Aurora among the most notable teams eliminated during the online phase. Their exits mean only four of the world’s top ten teams will be present for the Malta finals, reshaping expectations for the competition and opening opportunities for lower-ranked sides.
Organisers and teams were also impacted by personnel issues: Falcons will attend the event with academy player Matej "NucleonZ" Trajkoski stepping in for Maxim "kyousuke" Lukin, who is unable to travel because of visa problems. Falcons confirmed the substitution was necessary due to the lack of travel clearance for their usual player.
One of the tournament favourites, FURIA, did not inspire much confidence in the online deciders. They were pushed to the limit and only prevailed after a standout performance from Danil "molodoy" Golubenko against an impressive showing by FUT, suggesting FURIA will need a deeper collective effort if they are to contend with heavyweights such as Vitality and Spirit once the action moves to the studio stage.
BLAST’s format for the quarterfinal draw will give the four lower-seeded teams the opportunity to select one of the four top seeds as their opponent. That selection will take place live on Wednesday during BLAST’s draft show at 20:00, with Liquid holding the privilege of making the first pick.
The eight teams that advanced to the LAN in Malta are: Vitality, FURIA, Falcons, Spirit, Liquid, PARIVISION, GamerLegion and HEROIC. With those lineups confirmed, attention now shifts to preparation for the LAN matches and the strategic choices that will be made during the upcoming live draft.