BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 Power Rankings: Vitality back in the fold

BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 is here, bringing Tier 1 Counter-Strike to the Netherlands for the first time in recent memory. Champions of everything, Vitality, are back, after taking a short break away from ESL Pro League to rest and recuperate.

We’re taking a look at the 16 teams heading to BLAST Open Rotterdam, with some Power Rankings that should give you a better idea of who has the best chance of lifting the trophy in the Rotterdam Ahoy Arena.

Vitality back in, and back on top

The only thing that is crystal clear following Vitality‘s non-attendance at ESL Pro League Season 23 is that they are so far ahead of the chasing pack. Despite their extended period of dominance, the gap only appears to be widening, with no end in sight. Vitality are back, rested, and undoubtedly right at the top of any and all BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 Power Rankings.

As always, Vitality arrive at this event with a target on their back. Teams vying for silverware will feel that if they can get Vitality out of the way, there’s a clear path to a trophy win. Easier said than done, of course. I expect them to win this event with relative ease, but teams will be gunning hard to prevent Vitality from running away with yet another trophy.

NAVI shoot up the rankings after EPL win

Very few looked at NAVI as real contenders to win the recent ESL Pro League, and their win has somewhat reshaped the chasing pack. They’re still far from favorites, of course, but they’re right among the teams now expected to challenge at the top. We got a glimpse of makazze‘s full potential in Sweden, and the heights that NAVI can reach when he’s firing on all cylinders. But whether that’s consistently repeatable is another matter altogether.

NAVI have spent too long on the periphery. A legacy organization that belongs at the pinnacle of Counter-Strike. Their comeback is greatly welcomed. BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 is an opportunity for them to prove that their recent win is the start of something sustainable, rather than a random peak that is quickly forgotten.

Potential BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 underdogs

The disparity between Vitality and everybody else at BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 means that there are no shortage of underdogs to root for. Let’s highlight a few.

The first is The MongolZ. Their progress since adding cobrazera has been slow but steady. They’re still a far cry from their peak with Senzu, but improvements are improvements. They’ve already shown they can reach event Playoffs, so it will be fun to see if we can see any more progression from this lineup in Rotterdam. I’m not expecting anything earth-shattering, but a win over a top-five team would be massive for The MongolZ here.

I also want to talk a bit about FaZe Clan. On paper, they look like a dead team walking. On recent form, they’d struggle to beat anyone. Suddenly, their Cologne Major invitation is in danger, and they need to find some wins from somewhere. The “dead team buff” is a very real phenomenon, and I reckon we could see some final output from a lineup that is almost certainly awaiting sweeping changes in the coming months.