BLAST SLAM IX: The Battle Moves Online

We are set to close out the year with our flagship Dota 2 tournament BLAST SLAM IX moving online this November.

BLAST SLAM IX will take place from November 20th to 29th, and with the 2026 calendar entering one of its busiest periods of the year, the tournament will be held online. This move is aimed to reduce travel commitments for teams and allow players to focus on what matters the most – playing to the best of their abilities.

The event will follow the same format as BLAST SLAM VIII, keeping the fans entertained with thrilling games and exciting contests. While BLAST SLAM IX marks the final event of the year for us, it is also only the beginning of what is to come.

Heading into the new year, plans are already underway to build something special for our fans, details for which will be revealed in the months to come. But for now, all eyes will be on the next two events – BLAST SLAM VIII Malta and BLAST SLAM IX – as the Dota 2 season heads toward its final stretch of the year.

Qualifier Dates for BLAST SLAM VIII and IX

Earlier this month, we revealed the qualifier dates for the remaining BLAST SLAM events. If you need a quick refresher, you can find all the details below:

SLAM VIII

Qualifiers for EU/SEA/CN

• Open: 26/08 + 27/08
• Closed: 29/08 + 30/08

SLAM IX

Qualifiers for EU/SEA

• Open: 09/09 + 10/09
• Closed: 12/09 + 13/09

Qualifiers for CN

• Open: 17/09 + 18/09
• Closed: 19/09 + 20/09

Bigger and Better

The remaining BLAST SLAM events only get better. For the next two iterations, the competition will expand to 16 teams with a reworked online stage featuring Bo3 matches. You can read more about the revamped format here.

In the meantime, stay tuned to BLAST socials to stay up-to-date with the latest developments.

Full tournament: https://blast.tv/dota/tournaments/blast-slam-ix