BLAST Open Porto Reveals Opening-Day Matches in August LAN Play at Bock Arena
BLAST Open Porto is set to kick off with a full slate of early matches this August, starting with the tournament’s opening day in Portugal. The first wave of games will run on the last Wednesday and Thursday of the month, with four best-of-three series each day as 16 teams battle for six spots in the LAN finals at Bock Arena in Porto.
The event’s competition structure splits the action between Porto and BLAST’s studio in Copenhagen. While the LAN finals are scheduled for Bock Arena, the majority of matches will be played in BLAST’s Copenhagen studio, meaning the opening schedule is both an early test of form and a crucial step toward the on-site finish.
Day one begins with a marquee matchup: Aurora takes on G2 Esports in a BO3 series at 11:00. Later that same day, Team Spirit faces DENDELE at 13:30 (BO3), Natus Vincere plays M80 at 16:00 (BO3), and FURIA meets paiN Gaming at 17:30 (BO3). With these fixtures, the first round immediately includes top-tier teams and high-pressure derbies.
On day two, Team Vitality opens against Inner Circle at 11:00 in another BO3, followed by MOUZ versus 9z at 13:30. The afternoon slate continues with Legacy taking on FUT at 16:00, and Team Falcons closing the day against Lynn Vision at 17:30.
There’s also a notable roster situation affecting Vitality’s schedule. For this tournament and the next, Team Vitality will use a stand-in: Justinas “jL” Lekavičius replaces William “mezii” Merriman, who is expected to become a father. The tournament will also feature teams including Falcons, MOUZ, and Legacy as part of the broader field.
South America rivalry is built into the early program as well. In Group A, the opening matchups include a Brazil derby between FURIA and paiN Gaming.
BLAST Open Porto 2026 runs from August 26 through September 6, with a total prize pool of $1,100,000. Sixteen teams will compete in total, and the top finisher will receive $150,000 plus an additional $100,000 distributed as part of the “club share.” Notably for local viewers, the competition will feature no Polish team.
