BLAST Premier Rivals 2026 to take place in Texas

Tournament organiser BLAST has announced that the 2026 edition of BLAST Premier Rivals will take place in Fort Worth, Texas.

The event will see eight teams competing at the Dickies Arena for a chance to win a share of $1m (~£733,802) in prize money and participation fees.

To bring back Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports to Texas, BLAST has partnered with Live Nation, event promoter C3 Presents and the Fort Worth Sports Commission to support the event taking place from April 29th to May 3rd, 2026.

Participating teams will be selected from the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) and regional rankings from Europe, the Americas and Asia.

“After two unforgettable events in 2024, we’re proud to return to Fort Worth and Dickies Arena for the BLAST Premier Rivals,” commented Andred Haworth, Senior Vice President of Ecosystems at BLAST.

“The event will bring the very best of Counter-Strike and esports to a city that’s quickly become a home for global esports. We’re excited to partner once again with Live Nation, Fort Worth Sports Commission and C3 Presents to deliver competitive entertainment and a fan-first spectacle.”

BLAST is no stranger to hosting events in Fort Worth. In 2024, the event organiser hosted the Rocket League World Championship and Fortnite Global Championship at the Dickies Arena.

In 2025, the organiser continued to expand its presence in North America after hosting the BLAST.tv Austin Major, the 22nd Valve-sanctioned Counter-Strike Major. The event, won by Team Vitality, became the most-watched Counter-Strike event in the history of the esport.

BLAST has also continued to support the Counter-Strike esports ecosystem through hosting a variety of events featuring the best teams from across the world.

In June, it announced a partnership with GamingMalta in a deal where it will host CS2 and Dota 2 events on the island until 2027. The deal includes Season 2 of BLAST Premier Bounty which takes place in August.