BLAST opens host city applications for 2027 and 2028 events

Jonno Nicholson
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Image of BLAST Austin Major stage from the rear of the arena.
Image credit: Adela Sznajder, BLAST

Esports tournament organiser BLAST has opened its host city application process for events taking place in 2027 and 2028.

The process enables cities and regions from across the world to express an interest in hosting a large-scale esports event over the next two years.

BLAST has revealed that the application process includes events across its wide portfolio of ecosystems. This includes Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six. The tournament organiser also mentions it plans to host at least 40 arena events over the next two years.

Cities interested in hosting an event must express an interest by February 13th, with the final deadline for 2027 events taking place on March 16th. For 2028 events, the deadline for interested parties is July 3rd.

“Esports continues to be one of the fastest-growing entertainment sectors globally,” said James Woollard, VP of Destinations and Market Development at BLAST.

“Our focus is building long-term, strategic partnerships with host destinations that deliver measurable economic impacts, global exposure and lasting community and cultural value.”

For 2026, BLAST has already shared details regarding several events taking place throughout the year. Its Premier Open CS2 events head to Europe in March and September, with the first event taking place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The location for the second Premier Open event hasn’t been disclosed.

BLAST’s Continued Expansion

Alongside announcing plans to host high-profile events in Europe, BLAST has continued expanding, cementing its place as one of the largest tournament organisers in the world.

November’s BLAST Rivals Season 2 event returns to Hong Kong following the success of BLAST Rivals Fall in 2025. Last year’s event became the first esports tournament to receive the ‘M’ mark status, an accolade awarded to sporting events that enhance Hong Kong’s international image.

With several cities across the world looking to host high-profile events, it will be interesting to see which secure successful applications for future BLAST events.

Jonno Nicholson

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Jonno is a writer for Esports Insider and has been part of the team since 2019. Over the past ten years, he's written for several outlets including Gfinity, GGRecon, and Radio Times. As an avid sim racer, he aims to provide insight on one of the fastest growing sectors in esports.
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