BLAST Open London 2025 Preview: Teams, Format, Prizes, Replacements, and Fantasy Play

BLAST Open London 2025 Preview: Teams, Format, Prizes, Replacements, and Fantasy Play

The upcoming BLAST Open London 2025 promises to deliver a unique blend of online qualifiers and headline-grabbing LAN action in one of CS2’s premier open-circuit events.

Tournament Format & Schedule

• Online Stage (Aug 27 – Sep 1): Sixteen teams will battle in double-elimination best-of-three groups. Top seeds advance to the London LAN, with second and third-placed teams heading to the quarterfinals.

• LAN Finals (Sep 5 – Sep 7): Held at the OVO Arena Wembley, six teams will compete in single-elimination playoffs. Quarterfinals and semifinals are bo3, culminating in a bo5 Grand Final.

Prize Pool Breakdown

With a total pool of $400,000, distribution is tiered across both phases:

• Online Group Stage:

  • 7–8th place: $10,000

  • 9–12th: $7,500

  • 13–16th: $5,000

• LAN Finals:

  • 1st: $150,000

  • 2nd: $60,000

  • 3–4th: $40,000

  • 5–6th: $20,000

Fantasy Game and Broadcast Talent

• Fantasy Component: HLTV, in partnership with Skin.Club, is launching a fantasy game for both the online stage and the LAN Finals, featuring weapon-themed prizes like Field-Tested Hydra Gloves, AWP Hyper Beast, and M4A1-S Hyper Beast for top-performing picks.

• Broadcast Talent: Veteran BLAST casters and analysts are expected to return, though specific personalities have not been officially confirmed for this event yet.

Teams & Replacements

• Confirmed participants include: Team Vitality, MOUZ, Team Spirit, FaZe Clan, NAVI, FURIA, G2 Esports, GamerLegion, Virtus.pro, Team Liquid, Legacy, Fnatic, ECSTATIC, M80, Imperial Esports, and FlyQuest.

• Notable changes:

  • Fnatic steps in for HEROIC, who withdrew due to their inability to field at least three players, including visa issues for returning star xfl0ud.

  • Team Liquid replaces The MongolZ, who faced travel restrictions. Liquid had failed to qualify initially but now have another shot at representation.

Event Significance

This event marks a key moment in the BLAST open-circuit structure—a format designed to give more teams a shot at high-stakes competition on a big stage. As Fan Editor Darragh Harbinson notes, the excitement of the LAN in London’s OVO Arena Wembley only heightens the stakes for teams fighting to secure their spot. 

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Summary Table

Category	Details
Format	Online group stage → double-elim bo3; LAN Finals (6 teams) → bracket bo3/bo5
Prize Pool	$400 k total ($70 k to online stage, $330 k LAN)
Notable Teams	Fnatic, Liquid, Spirit, NAVI, G2, Vitality, FaZe, others
Key Replacements	Fnatic for HEROIC; Liquid for The MongolZ
Fantasy & Talent	HLTV/Skin.Club fantasy game, standard BLAST casting expected