BLAST announces dates for four 2028 events

BLAST has revealed the dates for four Counter-Strike 2 tournaments scheduled for the first half of the 2028 competitive calendar, outlining the organizer’s continued commitment to the scene despite increasing competition from rival tournament operators.

The Danish organizer confirmed that four events will take place between January and May 2028, with two additional tournaments planned later in the year. However, details about those later events have not yet been disclosed.

2028 BLAST event schedule (first half of the year)

The currently announced BLAST events for early 2028 are:

• January 10 – January 24

• February 21 – March 6

• April 3 – April 17

• May 1 – May 15

Each event is expected to run for roughly two weeks, following the general scheduling structure used across BLAST’s modern Counter-Strike circuits.

In addition to these four tournaments, BLAST stated that two more events will take place later in 2028, although their formats, locations, and dates will be announced at a later stage.

Increasing competition in the CS2 calendar

Despite securing early calendar slots, BLAST will face intense competition for top teams in 2028. According to the announcement, three of the four confirmed tournaments overlap with events from other organizers, which could create scheduling conflicts and potentially force teams to choose between competing tournaments.

For example, several of the announced BLAST dates clash with tournaments from rival operators such as PGL and ESL, highlighting the increasingly crowded nature of the top-tier Counter-Strike calendar.

This issue has already been evident in recent seasons, with multiple organizers attempting to secure prime calendar slots for tier-one events, sometimes leading to overlapping tournaments and divided team participation.

Part of a broader BLAST circuit overhaul

The announcement also comes shortly after BLAST confirmed major changes to its circuit structure beginning in 2027. Among those changes was the removal of the Frequent Flyer program, which previously incentivized teams to attend more BLAST events through financial rewards.

The updated system gives teams greater freedom to skip events without financial penalties, a move that acknowledges the growing number of competing tournaments across the professional Counter-Strike ecosystem.

At the same time, BLAST confirmed that it plans to run a total of 12 events across the 2027 and 2028 seasons, demonstrating a long-term commitment to the scene despite the increasingly competitive landscape among organizers.

Outlook for the 2028 CS2 season

With tournament operators such as ESL, PGL, and BLAST all announcing multi-year schedules, the race for the attention of the world’s top teams is intensifying. Several of these organizers have already secured multiple tier-one events for 2028, creating a packed global calendar that will likely require careful planning from teams and leagues alike.

BLAST’s early announcement of its 2028 dates appears to be part of a broader strategy to secure favorable calendar positions and maintain its role as one of the key tournament organizers in the Counter-Strike ecosystem.