Team Falcons and PARIVISION pulled off major upsets in the semifinals of the BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 CS2 LAN Finals, eliminating favorites Vitality and FURIA respectively. Falcons defeated Vitality 2-1, while PARIVISION won against FURIA 2-0 in a tense series. The grand final will feature these underdogs battling for the first CS2 trophy of 2026 in Malta.
The BLAST Bounty Winter 2026 Season 1 Finals, held from January 22 to 25 in Malta, marked the start of the offline CS2 competitive season with eight teams qualified from online stages. The tournament features unique rules where lower-seeded teams select opponents, heightening the drama of underdog clashes.
In the first semifinal, Falcons sensationally eliminated Vitality 2-1. The series began on Inferno, Falcons' defensive play securing a 13-10 win despite Vitality's mid-game comeback attempt. Vitality dominated Anubis 13-4, but Falcons controlled Mirage 13-6, surging to an 11-1 lead before closing out the decider. FlameZ from Vitality earned match MVP honors with a 1.37 rating. Vitality finished 3rd-4th, earning $31,875 for the team and $40,000 for the organization. Notably, Falcons competed without head coach zonic, who returned home due to a family loss, and with stand-in Nucleonz replacing kyousuke.
The second semifinal saw PARIVISION defeat FURIA 2-0. On Mirage, PARIVISION rallied from a 0-4 deficit to tie the first half and win 13-8 after FURIA faltered on the T-side. Inferno was closer, with FURIA leading 7-5 at halftime, but PARIVISION's CT defense clinched a 13-11 victory. XiELO was named MVP with a 1.31 rating for his aggressive plays. FURIA also placed 3rd-4th, receiving $25,625 for the team and $40,000 for the organization.
These results set up an unexpected grand final between Falcons and PARIVISION on January 25. The event introduced Anubis to the Active Duty map pool, replacing Train, and showcased surprises like FaZe Clan and NAVI's earlier eliminations by underdogs. Top teams like FURIA and Vitality entered as favorites, but the bracket's structure allowed smaller squads to shine. Following this, IEM Krakow begins January 28.
