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BLAST Open Spring Lisbon 2025: Groups, Teams, Format, Predictions and more
After an intense battle that was ESL Pro League Season 21, the Counter-Strike action continues with BLAST Open Spring Lisbon 2025. Starting March 19, 16 teams will take on each other for a big chunk of US$400k prizepool, VRS points and the BLAST frequent flyer tokens.
The tournament concludes in a LAN stage Playoffs hosted by the MEO Arena, Lisbon, Portugal.
Despite the nominal prizepool, the tournament will feature the biggest names in Counter-Strike. It will be an opportunity for BLAST Rising teams to take down big names and accumulate points as the Austin Major draws closer.
Format
BLAST Open Spring Lisbon 2025 will be played in two stages; Group Stage and Playoffs.
Group Stage
- Each Group features eight teams
- Teams compete in a double-elimination bracket
- Three teams from each group qualify for the Playoffs
- Winner of the group is seeded in the Semifinals
- The Upper bracket loser plays the Lower Bracket winner of the other group
- All games will be Bo3
Playoffs
- LAN Stage hosted by BLAST
- Six teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket
- Top 2 seeds advance directly to the semifinals
- Quarterfinals & Semifinals are Bo3
- The Grand Final is Bo5
Teams and Groups
The tournament features 4 regional BLAST Rising winners and 12 directly invited teams as per VRS Global ranking. These will be divided into two groups of eight for the group stage.
The two groups for the first stage of the competition are as follows:
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| Astralis | Eternal Fire |
| FaZe Clan | FURIA |
| MOUZ | G2 Esports |
| Team Falcons | Imperial Esports |
| Team Spirit | M80 |
| Team Vitality | Natus Vincere |
| The Huns Esports | Team Liquid |
| Virtus.Pro | The MongolZ |
Schedule
BLAST Open Spring Lisbon 2025 starts March 19 and will run two weeks before concluding on March 30. The overall schedule for the tournament is as follows:
- March 19 - March 24: Group Stage
- March 19: Group A opening fixtures
- March 20: Group B opening fixtures
- March 21: Group A Lower Bracket Round 1 and Upper Bracket Semifinals
- March 22: Group B Lower Bracket Round 1 and Upper Bracket Semifinals
- March 23: Group A and B Lower Bracket Semifinals
- March 24: Group A and B Upper Bracket and Lower Bracket Final
- March 28 - March 30: Playoffs
- March 28: Quarterfinals
- March 29: Semifinals
- March 30: Grand Final
Check the detailed fixtures with personalized schedule on Strafe.
Group Stage: Opening Fixtures and Predictions
Group A
A stacked team from top to bottom, Group A features the strongest teams the current year of Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Despite the strength of the group there are two teams that stand above their group mates, they are Team Spirit and Team Vitality. These two will have little problem getting out of the group.
For Team Vitality, the biggest challenge will be FaZe Clan, who aren’t really in the best shape. Hopefully skipping ESL Pro League helps them regain clarity and form. Astralis will also look to follow-up their Cluj-Napoca 3rd place finish with at least another top-6 finish, but the bracket isn’t in their favor, making their run extremely tough.
On the Team Spirit’s side of the bracket, MOUZ will be looking to repeat the ESL Pro League Season 21 feat and upset Team Spirit, but we still favor Team Spirit and their ability to bounce back after a tough loss. Huns will represent Asia and Mongolia in the bracket and if they are getting any tips from the MongolZ, they might just deliver the biggest upset of 2025.
Out of group A, MOUZ is the likeliest to qualify last, but if FaZe or Astralis have used the break well, they can definitely shake up the expectations.
Opening Fixtures:
- March 19 12:00 pm CET: Team Spirit vs. The Huns Esports
- March 19 02:30 pm CET: Team Falcons vs. MOUZ
- March 19 05:00 pm CET: Astralis vs. Team Vitality
- March 19 07:30 pm CET: FaZe Clan vs. Virtus. Pro
Group B
While Group B is not as stacked, it will deliver some banger games. That said, there are still favourites to make out of the group.
The top side of the bracket, G2 Esports should be a good contender and an easy pick to qualify for the Playoffs. Their biggest competition is Eternal Fire, the Turkish side displayed some good Counter-Strike but need to improve their consistency to establish themselves as a top side. Team Liquid, similarly, struggles with inconsistency and cannot be called a favorite, at least not yet.
On the MongolZ side of the bracket, their biggest obstacle is a familiar opponent in Natus Vincere. In their recent encounter, the Mongolian National Counter-Strike team obliterated the veterans. The fate is likely to repeat given the current form of both teams. Needless to say, even the loser of this clash makes it out to the Playoffs from the lower bracket.
Opening Fixtures:
- March 20 12:00 pm CET: G2 Esports vs. Imperial Esports
- March 20 02:30 pm CET: Team Liquid vs. Eternal Fire
- March 20 05:00 pm CET: M80 vs. The MongolZ
- March 20 07:30 pm CET: Natus Vincere vs. FURIA
Where to watch?
BLAST will broadcast the Open Spring Lisbon 2025 on Twitch and YouTube in English and French.
Follow BLAST on X for the latest update on the tournament. You can also follow the tournament on Strafe.
Don't forget to check out Strafe Esports for all the latest Counter Strike 2 news and our X account for the latest content and coverage of your favorite eSports.
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Featured Image Credits: BLAST
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