BLAST Premier is heading to Porto with a $1.1 million prize pool, 16 teams, and a new city on its Portuguese tour. The Counter-Strike 2 tournament organizer has locked in dates for the BLAST Premier Open Porto 2026, running from August 26 through September 6.

The playoffs will take place at Porto’s Super Bock Arena from September 4-6, giving fans a three-day window of high-stakes CS2 action.

What the prize pool looks like

The $1.1 million total purse is split in a way that reflects how modern esports economics actually work. Players get $400,000, while clubs receive $700,000.

Portugal’s growing role in esports

This will be BLAST’s fourth event in Portugal, but it’s the first time the organizer has moved beyond Lisbon. Previous tournaments hit Lisbon in 2018, 2022, and 2025, establishing Portugal as a reliable market for live esports events.

Tickets are already on sale, and some multi-day packages have sold out.

What this means for the esports market

There is no blockchain or digital asset component announced for this event. BLAST running a major event without any visible crypto partnership reflects how the relationship between digital assets and competitive gaming has cooled considerably from its peak, when companies like FTX and Crypto.com were prominent esports sponsors.