A significant shift has occurred in the competitive landscape of the upcoming BLAST Bounty Season 1 2026 Counter-Strike 2 event. The Danish esports team, ECSTATIC, will now be stepping into the spotlight, replacing Imperial Esports at this prestigious tournament. This marks an important moment for ECSTATIC as they prepare to face off against some of the best teams in the world.
BLAST has announced that ECSTATIC will replace Imperial Esports at the upcoming BLAST Bounty Season 1 2026 Counter-Strike 2 event. The Danish squad will join an impressive lineup of teams competing in the first Tier 1 event of 2026. This will be ECSTATIC’s first appearance in such a high-level tournament since their participation in the online phase of BLAST Open London in August. Although they finished in the top-16 after facing tough opponents like FaZe Clan and Fnatic, their return to top-tier competition is eagerly anticipated. While the reason for Imperial Esports’ absence has not been disclosed, ECSTATIC is ready to capitalize on this opportunity.
ECSTATIC’s Recent Performance
Outside the Tier 1 scene, ECSTATIC has been making waves with notable performances in various competitions. The team secured a second-place finish at DraculaN #3 in November and claimed victory in Winline Insight Season 9. Their current ranking of 44th in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) sets them up for a potentially strong showing at the BLAST Bounty Season 1, offering a chance to continue their upward momentum as the new year begins.
BLAST Bounty Season 1 2026 Teams
Scheduled from January 13th to 18th, 2026, the tournament will feature 32 teams competing in online qualifiers. These qualifiers will determine the eight teams advancing to the LAN playoffs in Malta from January 22nd to 25th. With Imperial Esports stepping down, the final lineup for the BLAST Bounty Season 1 includes:
- FURIA
- Team Falcons
- Team Vitality
- Aurora Gaming
- Team Spirit
- Team Liquid
- NAVI
- Astralis
- HEROIC
- 3DMAX
- paiN Gaming
- FaZe Clan
- Parivision
- Gentle Mates
- GamerLegion
- FUT Esports
- BetBoom Team
- Fnatic
- M80
- Passion UA
- HOTU
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- NRG
- EYEBALLERS
- Inner Circle Esports
- OG Esports
- 9INE
- ENCE
- Virtus.pro
- Monte
- SINNERS Esports
- ECSTATIC
This change reduces the number of participating teams from the Americas from five to four, as Imperial Esports steps aside, paving the way for ECSTATIC to make their mark on the international stage.