The first premier CS:GO event of 2022, with pun absolutely intended, is finally here in BLAST Premier Spring Groups. The 12 BLAST partner teams have been split into three groups of four and everyone has a chance to finish in the top half and secure an early spot at the BLAST Spring Finals in June.
This year’s Spring group stage will be an exceptionally exciting one to watch and should serve as a fine start to another landmark year for competitive CS:GO in 2022. Here’s everything you need to know about the BLAST Premier Spring Groups.
BLAST Premier Spring Groups format
Each of the three groups will compete in its own double-elimination GSL-format bracket, which will consist entirely of best-of-one matches that will determine seeding for the play-in stage.
The play-in stage consists of three single-elimination gauntlets of best-of-three matches, with staggered start points determined via the seeding from the previous group stage. The winner of each gauntlet will earn 1,600 BLAST Premier points and advance directly to the Spring Finals.
The second and third-place teams from the play-in stage will be seeded into last chance matches and will each play a single best-of-three with the winner moving on to the Spring Finals with 800 BLAST Premier points.
The losers of the last chance matches and the fourth-place teams from the play-in stage will advance to the Spring Showdown event in April with 600 and 400 BLAST Premier points, respectively.
BLAST Premier Spring Groups teams and brackets
Group A
Group A consists of G2 Esports, Complexity, BIG, and Ninjas in Pyjamas. G2 will debut its retooled lineup with young AWP prodigy m0NESY, famed IGL Aleksib, and coach XTQZZZ. Complexity’s new NA lineup will be making their BLAST debut as well, featuring talent from the likes of Extra Salt, Liquid, and FURIA. NiP will continue to play without superstar dev1ce, who extended his medical leave. BIG are looking to rally after a lackluster end to 2021.
Group B
Group B consists of Natus Vincere, MIBR, Astralis, and OG. Na’Vi return as a consensus favorite and look to keep up their winning ways after a tremendous 2021 campaign. An MIBR roster looking to prove themselves will have a daunting opening match against the reigning BLAST champions. Astralis will try to shake off a tough showing at Funspark ULTI and continue to find form with its new lineup, while OG will aim to find success with new IGL nexa following the Aleksib swap with G2.
Group C
Group C consists of Team Vitality, Evil Geniuses, FaZe Clan, and Team Liquid. All four teams are debuting new players or even entirely new lineups and will certainly be the group garnering the most attention. Just weeks after Vitality’s LEC superteam stumbled out the gates, the org’s legendary-on-paper CS:GO squad seeks to avoid the same slow start. They face a potential new power in North America in the fresh Evil Geniuses roster. On the other side of the bracket, ropz will make his FaZe debut against his new teammate Twistzz’s former squad in Liquid, who are debuting oSee and Shox.
Play-In stage bracket
Here’s the bracket for the play-in stage. The lone remaining team from each of the three brackets will advance to the BLAST Premier Spring Finals.
Schedule
Here’s the full schedule of matches for BLAST Spring Groups. All times are CT and subject to change. Each match will be updated to include its result upon conclusion.
Friday, Jan. 28
- 8am CT: G2 16-12 Complexity (Nuke)
- 9am CT: NiP 16-12 BIG (Overpass)
- 10:30am CT: G2 16-6 NiP (Inferno)
- 11:30am CT: BIG 16-10 Complexity (Nuke)
- 1pm CT: NiP 16-9 BIG (Nuke)
- 2:30pm CT: NiP 22-19 G2 (Mirage)
Saturday, Jan. 29
- 8am CT: MIBR 16-12 Na’Vi (Dust II)
- 9am CT: OG 16-12 Astralis (Ancient)
- 10:30am CT: OG 16-9 MIBR (Ancient)
- 11:30am CT: Astralis 19-17 Na’Vi (Mirage)
- 1pm CT: Astralis 16-9 MIBR (Overpass)
- 2:30pm CT: OG 16-8 Astralis (Inferno)
Sunday, Jan. 30
- 8am CT: Vitality 16-3 Evil Geniuses (Inferno)
- 9am CT: FaZe 19-15 Liquid (Inferno)
- 10:30am CT: Vitality 19-15 FaZe (Inferno))
- 11:30am CT: Liquid 19-17 Evil Geniuses (Inferno)
- 1pm CT: FaZe 19-17 Liquid (Inferno)
- 2:30pm CT: FaZe 16-10 Vitality (Overpass)
Thursday, Feb. 3
- 6am CT: MIBR 2-0 Complexity (MIBR 16-13 on Nuke, MIBR 16-14 on Ancient)
- 9:30am CT: Na’Vi 2-0 Liquid (Na`Vi 16-10 on Mirage, Na`Vi 16-12 on Ancient)
- 11:30am CT: Evil Geniuses 1-1 BIG 2-1 Evil Geniuses (EG 16-8 on Overpass, BIG 16-12 on Dust II, BIG 16-10 Vertigo)
Friday, Feb. 4
- 6am CT: Vitality 2-0 MIBR (Vitality 16-10 on Dust II, Vitality 16-5 on Inferno)
- 9:30am CT: NiP 2-1 Na`Vi (Na’Vi 16-11 on Nuke, NiP 16-11 on Overpass, NiP 16-7 on Mirage)
- 11:30am CT: BIG 2-0 Astralis (BIG 16-13 Dust II, BIG 16-7 Mirage)
Saturday, Feb. 5
- 6am CT: Vitality 2-1 G2 (Vitality 16-10 Inferno, G2 16-4 Mirage, Vitality 16-12 Dust II)
- 9:30am CT: OG 2-1 NiP (OG Overpass 16-4, NiP 16-14 Ancient, OG 19-17 Mirage)
- 11:30am CT: FaZe 2-1 BIG (FaZe 16-14 Dust II, BIG 16-2 Overpass, FaZe 16-1 Nuke)
Sunday, Feb. 6
- 6am CT: G2 2-0 MIBR (16-5 Ancient, 16-6 Inferno)
- 9:30am CT: Na’Vi 2-0 NiP (16-6 Nuke, 16-14 Overpass)
- 11:30am CT: BIG 2-0 Astralis (16-14 Ancient, 16-9 Dust II)
