BLAST Rivals 2026 kicks off in Fort Worth

BLAST Rivals 2026 opens on Apr. 29 in Fort Worth, Texas, with eight teams competing in the group stage. The event stage for Season 1 runs in Fort Worth before the playoff round at Dickies Arena.

Teams are split into two double-elimination groups. Under that format, a team must lose twice to be eliminated from group contention. Group placement will determine which sides advance to the playoff stage.

The opening-day schedule lists four matches with local start times: Vitality vs FUT at 15:00, Astralis vs G2 at 17:30, Natus Vincere vs FaZe at 20:00 and FURIA vs GamerLegion at 22:30. Each match counts toward the teams’ positions inside their double-elimination brackets.

The top three teams from each group will progress to the playoffs at Dickies Arena. The playoff stage will be held before a live audience at the arena.

Participants for the Fort Worth event were determined using the tournament’s global VRS ranking system, which seeded the eight teams into the two groups.

Results from the opening day will establish early group standings and affect which teams remain on the winners’ or losers’ sides of the double-elimination brackets as the tournament moves toward the Dickies Arena playoffs.