BLAST Premier Open Season 2 heading to Porto this September

Callum Mercer, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 01/04/2026

BLAST Premier Open Season 2 will bring its live arena stage to Porto this September, with the playoffs set for the Super Bock Arena – Pavilhão Rosa Mota as part of the 2026 CS2 calendar.

It is BLAST’s first event in Porto and its fourth stop in Portugal, underlining just how firmly the country has established itself as one of Counter-Strike’s safest bets for a big-stage crowd.

That matters beyond the venue change. BLAST Premier Open events still sit in a prime slot on the international calendar, and a Portugal LAN in early September gives European fans another major arena date to track alongside the wider run of 2026 events, including ESL One DreamHack Birmingham 2026 and the season’s broader top-tier circuit.

Porto keeps Portugal at the centre of BLAST’s European plans

According to BLAST’s official announcement, the event will run from August 26 to September 6, 2026, with the opening stages played in Copenhagen before six teams advance to the live finals in Porto. The tournament will feature 16 teams competing for a total prize pool of $1.1m (~£828k), split between player winnings and club shares.

Confirmed details on the event page include:

• Dates: August 26 to September 6, 2026
• Teams: 16 CS2 teams
• Venue: Super Bock Arena – Pavilhão Rosa Mota for the playoffs
• Prize pool: $1,100,000 (~£828k), with first place earning $150,000 plus a $100,000 club share

BLAST Programme Director Anne Banschbach said Portugal has “consistently delivered events with some of the most passionate Counter-Strike fans in the world,” framing the Porto move as part of a milestone year for the circuit.

The September calendar is only getting tighter

Porto joins Rotterdam, Fort Worth and Hong Kong on BLAST’s expanded 2026 event map, and it lands in a stretch of the season where calendar management will matter almost as much as form. For teams already navigating deep runs across organisers, the second half of the year is shaping up to be congested.

That is also why every major date now carries extra weight. Esports News UK has already covered the pace of the 2026 scene through ESL Pro League Season 23 and in our interview with Shahin Zarrabi on DreamHack Birmingham’s vision; Porto now gives BLAST a strong European anchor in that same broader fight for attention.

The next milestones are straightforward: ticket details, attending teams and the full playoff schedule. Before Porto gets its arena weekend, the road there starts in Copenhagen on August 26.

Callum Mercer, Senior Editor

Callum “Cal” Mercer is a UK-based esports journalist covering competitive titles across the LEC, VCT, and global Counter-Strike circuits. With a background in broadcast production and data analysis, he specialises in tactical breakdowns, roster strategy, and the business dynamics shaping modern professional gaming.

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