BLAST Premier is bringing a full Counter-Strike 2 tournament to Mongolia for the first time. BLAST Premier Open Ulaanbaatar will run from May 10 to 23, 2027, in the capital city, with 16 teams competing for a $1.25 million prize pool.
The event will give Mongolian fans a chance to watch top-level CS2 on home soil rather than following international tournaments during the early hours of the morning. BLAST Premier announced the tournament on July 14, 2026, through its official announcement on X.
Now this one is going to be incredible… 😍
We're pleased to announce that we're heading to Mongolia next May for the BLAST Premier Open Ulaanbaatar! 🇲🇳
📰 https://t.co/roFQtYl2Eh#BLASTPremier pic.twitter.com/XYhEdA2nHh
— BLAST Premier 💥 (@BLASTPremier) July 14, 2026
How the $1.25 million package works
The money attached to the tournament is divided into two main parts. Teams will receive $500,000 according to their final placements, while another $750,000 will be paid to teams regardless of where they finish.
BLAST also introduced a separate Acceptance Fee model for participating teams. That system provides further financial support for teams that accept their invitations and compete in Ulaanbaatar.
Five spots will come through qualifiers
Eleven of the 16 teams will receive direct invitations through Valve’s Global VRS rankings. The remaining five places will come from regional qualifiers covering North America, Europe, Asia, and South America.
Each region will receive one qualifying spot, while Asia gets a second berth because the tournament will be hosted in Ulaanbaatar. BLAST previously held a Mongolian qualifier connected to BLAST Open London in 2025, but this will be the first complete BLAST Premier tournament staged in the country.
Why Ulaanbaatar?
Mongolia has built a strong CS2 following in recent years, with The MongolZ becoming the clearest symbol of that growth. BLAST pointed to the country’s supporters as a major reason for bringing the event to Ulaanbaatar, citing fans who have filled arenas and watched international tournaments at difficult local hours.
That support was especially visible during the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025. Thousands of fans gathered at Sükhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar at 4 a.m. local time to watch The MongolZ face Team Vitality in the grand final. Team Vitality won the match, but the gathering showed how much attention the team and the wider Mongolian scene had earned.
BLAST said the Ulaanbaatar event will let local supporters watch the world’s best players in person while presenting Mongolia’s Counter-Strike culture to a worldwide broadcast audience.
BLAST’s confirmed 2027 schedule
Ulaanbaatar is one of several destinations on BLAST’s 2027 calendar. The currently announced schedule is:
| Event | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| BLAST Bounty Season 1 | Malta | January 11–24, 2027 |
| BLAST Open Singapore | Singapore | March 15–28, 2027 |
| BLAST Open Ulaanbaatar | Mongolia | May 10–23, 2027 |
| BLAST Bounty Season 2 | TBD | August 30–September 12, 2027 |
| BLAST Open Rio | Brazil | October 4–17, 2027 |
| BLAST Rivals | TBD | November 8–14, 2027 |
Hong Kong is also listed as a 2027 destination, although BLAST has not shared the full details for that event.
The MongolZ storyline
The MongolZ’s roster has gone through changes, leaving an open question about which lineup could represent Mongolia when the tournament arrives. The team will also need to secure its place if it does not receive a direct invitation through the Global VRS rankings.
BLAST has not yet announced the full invited team list, the detailed qualifier format, or the complete match schedule. Those details are expected closer to the May 2027 event, but Mongolian fans already have one clear reason to circle the tournament: they will finally get a major CS2 event at a reasonable local hour.
Will BLAST Premier Open Ulaanbaatar become a new landmark for Mongolian esports? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
Counter-Strike 2
Developed by Valve
For over two decades, Counter-Strike has offered an elite competitive experience, one shaped by millions of players from across the globe. And now the next chapter in the CS story is about to begin. This is Counter-Strike 2.
A free upgrade to CS:GO, Counter-Strike 2 marks the largest technical leap in Counter-Strike’s history. Built on the Source 2 engine, Counter-Strike 2 is modernized with realistic physically-based rendering, state of the art networking, and upgraded Community Workshop tools.
- Genre: Shooter, Tactical
- Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Modes: Single player, Multiplayer
- Release: 2023-09-27
- Publisher: Valve
-
Age Rating:
PEGI 18 / GRAC 19+ / USK 18 / CERO Z / ESRB M / CLASS_IND 18 / ACB R 18+
- IGDB Rating: 67.5/100
