BLAST Premier World Final 2023 preview: teams, format, prize pool and more

Now that the BetBoom Dacha 2023 event has concluded, fans are eagerly anticipating the Counter-Strike 2 tournament of the year, the BLAST Premier: World Final 2023. Here is a quick preview of the event, including the format, venue, participating teams, and favorite going into the event.

The World Final 2023 is scheduled to take place from December 13th to December 17th at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. This exciting event will feature eight of the top Counter-Strike teams competing for a $1 million prize pool.

The countdown to the World Final is ON ⏱️

Here are some of the best AWP plays from previous years in Abu Dhabi, which one is your favourite? 👀 #BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/aydWxJhRuY

— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) December 7, 2023

 

The tournament follows a format where these elite teams are divided into four team GSL-style groups. Each game, including playoff matches, will be played in a BO3 format. The top three teams from each group will advance to the playoffs, which will be held as a single elimination bracket. The group winners will secure a spot in the semifinals, while the runners-up will compete in the quarterfinals. Every game in the single-elimination playoffs is crucial for each team’s success.

BLAST Premier: World Final 2023 Prize Pool:

A staggering $1 million is up for grabs in the BLAST Premier: World Final 2023, with the distribution as follows:

 – $500,000 – 1st Place

– $250,000 – 2nd Place

– $85,000 – 3rd Place

– $25,000 – 5th/6th Place

– $15,000 – 7th/8th Place

BLAST Premier: World Final 2023: Participating team

The World Final 2023 boasts a roster of participating teams that includes both veterans and promising rising stars. As fans eagerly watch this tournament unfold, they can anticipate thrilling clashes between these CS2 powerhouses. Let’s take a look at each group, all the participating teams, and the favorites to win the title.

Group A: 

• Team Vitality
• Cloud9 
• Natus Vincere
• ENCE 

Group B

• FaZe Clan 
• MOUZ
• Heroic 
• G2 Esports

Group A Favourites 

Team Vitality

The French side Team Vitality is undisputedly the favorite going into the event. Team Vitality will be up against strong competition from NAVI, but their dominance at recent events including the Blast.tv Paris Major 2023 and the BLAST Premier: Fall Final 2023, positions them at the forefront of the group. With arguably the best CS:GO player Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut leading the team’s assault from the front, Vitality will be a force to be reckoned with when they start their journey in Abu Dhabi.

ENCE

There’s no doubt that ENCE is in excellent shape, and it has all of the capabilities to pull off an upset against any top-tier team. After winning the IEM Dallas 2023 in June, the team continued its momentum and made deep runs at many top-tier events and even reached the grand finals of the Gamers8, IEM Cologne, and ESL Challenger Katowice. 

However, despite performing consistently well throughout the year, the team failed to win any more silverware. The team has strengthened its firepower for the new CS 2 era with the addition of star Danish Rifler and former Astralis player Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander, who will replace Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer in the starting roster.

Group B Favourites 

FaZe Clan

With victories at IEM Sydney 2023, the Thunderpick World Championship, and the CS Asia Championships, FaZe Clan remains a consistent powerhouse in the CS2 scene. After a recent defeat to Team Vitality in the BLAST Premier: Fall Final, FaZe Clan will be eager to redeem themselves on the grand stage. The team has recently signed former MOUZ superstar David “frozen” Čerňanský to fill in the void left by Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken, who made a jump to team Team Liquid alongside Casper “cadiaN” Møller. 

Heroic

Heroic reached the Grand Final of IEM Katowice 2023 to kick off the 2023 season. Despite their best efforts, they lost to G2 in the finals, leaving them just one win away from winning their first trophy of the year. While the team displayed resilience in the next events, they were eight bombarded out of them in the top eight or in the playoffs. Their win came in June when they defeated Team Vitality in the final of BLAST Premier: Spring Final.

The Danish team’s pattern continued throughout the year with a 3rd – 4th place finish at the Gamers8 2023 being the biggest achievement. The team’s inconsistent results and internal conflicts led to a roster restructure this offseason. The team first lost its long-time IGL cadiaN before losing their two key players Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard and Martin “stavn” Lund. While the past few months have seen some turbulence, Heroic remains a wildcard, capable of delivering standout performances and causing upsets.

Other notable teams:

G2 Esports will be competing in Abu Dhabi intending to add a third championship to their collection, having already won IEL Cologne and IEM Katowice in 2023. The team’s fragging duties were well handled by the Kovač brothers Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač and Nikola “NiKo” Kovač throughout the year, while Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen appeared proficient while leading the squad. The squad challenges every other team that stands in their way as they enter the competition as the defending champions. 

The other participating teams, including MOUZ, Natus Vincere, and Cloud9, each bring their unique strengths and strategies to the table, promising a well-rounded and competitive field. Catch all the action live on YouTube and Twitch, and witness the crowning of the CS2 champion at the Etihad Arena.

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