Third BLAST Premier Open heads to the United States in 2027

BLAST Premier has confirmed that the USA, will host the third BLAST Premier Open in 2027, bringing world-class Counter-Strike competition to the States from 3rd to 12th September.

The tournament will welcome 16 teams competing for a combined $1.25 million in prize money and team payments, as part of the 2027 BLAST Premier circuit. The event will feature two main stages, both taking place on LAN in the United States:

• Play-In Stage: 16 teams will compete in a LAN environment in the USA, with a Swiss bracket across 5 days.
• Playoffs: The eight qualifying teams will advance to a single-elimination bracket, culminating in three days of arena competition in the USA.

The introduction of the Swiss format will bring dual-stream broadcasts to BLAST Open, giving fans more Counter-Strike action than under the previous format. The move to an eight-team playoff will also give fans attending in person more matches to enjoy in the arena.

The tournament will also feature regional qualification pathways, with further information on the qualification process, format and eligibility requirements outlined in the updated BLAST Premier Handbook.

Updated BLAST Premier Handbook

Key Dates – BLAST Premier Open 3 2027

BLAST Open 3 will take place from 3rd September to 12th September 2027, with the event's qualification and invitation process following the schedule below.

Invitations & Rankings

• 3 May 2027 – VRS publication for Direct Invitations
• 4 May 2027 | 13:00 UTC – Official Invitation Date
• 18 May 2027 | 13:00 UTC – Participation Rescission Deadline
• 8 June 2027 – VRS publication for Closed Qualifier seeding
• 5 July 2027 – VRS publication for Main Event seeding

Regional Closed Qualifiers

• 5 July 2027 | 13:00 UTC – Closed Qualifier Roster Lock
• 8–11 July 2027 – North America Closed Qualifier
• 9–11 July 2027 – Europe, Asia & South America Closed Qualifiers

Main Event

• 27 August 2027 | 13:00 UTC – Main Event Roster Lock
• 30 August 2027 | 00:01 UTC – Official Roster Announcement
• 4th September- Media Day
• 5th September – 9th September 2027 – Swiss Format Group Stage
• 10th September – 12th September 2027 - Single Elimination Playoff

BLAST Premier Open 3 will feature a $400,000USD acceptance fee pot, paid to teams who accept the tournament invite. The acceptance fee is broken down accordingly:

The updated Handbook outlines the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) invitation process, relevant ranking and invitation dates, qualification rules, tournament seeding, prize money and team compensation, alongside applicable integrity and conduct regulations.

Qualification Pathway – BLAST Open 3 2027

BLAST Open 3 will feature 16 teams, with 11 teams receiving direct invitations through the Valve Global Rankings (VRS) and five teams qualifying through regional Closed Qualifiers.

The qualification pathway will provide opportunities for teams across Europe, North America, South America and Asia, with the following allocation:

• 11 Direct VRS Invitations: Awarded based on the Valve Global Rankings published on 3 May 2027.
• 5 Closed Qualifier places: One team qualifying from each of the four regions, with an additional qualifying place allocated to North America as the host region.

Each regional Closed Qualifier will feature eight teams, consisting of four teams invited through their respective Valve Regional Standings and four teams progressing from Open Qualifiers.

The Open Qualifiers will be open to eligible teams from their respective regions, with no direct invitations and a single-elimination format. The Closed Qualifiers will determine the five teams advancing to the Main Event.

Regional Closed Qualifier allocation:

• Europe: 8 teams competing for 1 Main Event place.
• Asia: 8 teams competing for 1 Main Event place.
• South America: 8 teams competing for 1 Main Event place.
• North America: 8 teams competing for 2 Main Event places.

The European, Asian and South American Closed Qualifiers will follow a single-elimination format, while North America's Closed Qualifier will use a GSL-style format to determine its two qualifying teams. All Closed Qualifier matches will be played as best-of-three series.

Teams and stakeholders can consult the updated Handbook for the full regulations governing BLAST Premier Open 3.

Further information on BLAST Premier Open 3, including ticketing and event details, will be announced in due course.