BLAST World Leaderboard update August 2023

With Counter-Strike 2 now released, we're coming to the final months in which the BLAST World Leaderboard reflects CS:GO.

The leaderboard, shaped by all ESL and BLAST events, hasn't seen much change this month due to the consistent performances of the teams at the top, but there are some key things to take note of.

Important because of the fact that at least three of the teams attending BLAST Premier World Final 2023 in Abu Dhabi will be decided by placement on the World Leaderboard, every top team should be hyperfocused on ranking as highly as possible.

The World Leaderboard

Still sitting pretty at the top of the BLAST World Leaderboard this month is Heroic. Winners at BLAST Premier Spring Final, runners up at IEM Katowice, and semi-finalists at the BLAST.tv Paris Major, the Danish team's consistent deep tournament runs and top six finish at IEM Cologne see them continue to hold the top spot.

Despite the fact they've already qualified for World Final due to their win at Spring Final, Heroic should consider themselves lucky to be keeping their top spot. If Gamers8 was taken into consideration in our World Leaderboard, BLAST.tv Paris Major winners Vitality would almost certainly now be in the lead.

Having also already secured qualification because of their Major win, Vitality sit second with the two remaining qualified teams, G2 and FaZe, behind them in third and fourth place respectively. G2 have secured their qualification due to their high points total thanks to wins at IEM Cologne and IEM Katowice, while FaZe qualified thanks to their Intel Grand Slam closing win at ESL Pro League Season 17.

Rounding out the top five is NAVI, a team who may soon to be looking over their shoulders for the threat of a surging ENCE team. Ranking highly due to impressive form earlier on in the year, their strong finishes at IEM Katowice and ESL Pro League Season 17 see them high up on our ranking and in a good position to qualify for World Final through their points total should a tournament win not see them qualify before.

Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

In the points

Sitting in the sixth place on the World Leaderboard is the aforementioned ENCE. Winners of IEM Dallas and runners up at the recent IEM Cologne, ENCE have been in incredible form as of late, and had Gamers8 had been taken into consideration, would surely have already surpassed NAVI on the World Leaderboard. With just 300 points separating the two teams, a win at ESL Pro League Season 18 wouldn't just see ENCE overtake NAVI, but qualify for World Final too.

Following ENCE is Astralis, the recently revamped Danish team who upset their national rivals Heroic to finish in the top four at IEM Cologne and also recently qualified for Spring Final. Absent from the BLAST.tv Paris Major, their placement on the Leaderboard is an indicator of the strength of the new team and form of its stars, device and blameF.

Rounding out the list are the three heavily changed rosters of Cloud9, Team Liquid, and GamerLegion. With all three teams being placed so highly thanks to deep runs at various events throughout the list, strong second halves to the year could see them continue to hold their placings and potentially qualify for World Final.

Photo: Stephanie Lindgren