Swedish Counter-Strike 2 team EYEBALLERS has scored the first major upset of BLAST Bounty Season 1 2026.
Led by three-time Major winner Jesper ‘JW‘ Wecksell, the team eliminated FaZe Clan in the opening round of the online closed qualifiers.
EYEBALLERS Springs Surprise
Currently ranked 31st in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS), EYEBALLERS spent the majority of 2025 competing in Tier 2 and Tier 3 tournaments, alongside open qualifiers for high-profile events.
As a result of higher-ranked teams declining their invites, the Swedish side earned an opportunity to compete among the world’s best.
Opting to face the StarLadder Budapest Major runners-up was a bold move and almost backfired after FaZe Clan opened the best-of-three series with a convincing 13-6 win on Ancient. However, EYEBALLERS responded emphatically on Mirage, dominating the Red Militia 13-4 to level the series and force a deciding Inferno.
An impressive performance from Jonatan ‘bobeksde‘ Persson on the third map spearheaded a strong attacking display in the second half for the Swedes, taking Inferno 13-7 to seal a surprise 2-1 series victory and send FaZe Clan packing.
Concern For FaZe Clan?
After an incredible run from Stage 1 to the Grand Final at the Budapest Major, many expected FaZe Clan to enter 2026 with a new lease of life and continue demonstrating its ability to contend with the world’s top teams.
Defeat to EYEBALLERS could raise concerns for a roster that spent most of 2025 underperforming in Tier 1 competition.
“Practice hasn’t been the best for us this season,” revealed Russel ‘Twistzz‘ Van Dulken in a post-match interview.
“Not concerned about the series, Online opening game. Have to step up though for sure,” he added on social media.
While EYEBALLERS advances to the round of 16, FaZe Clan’s focus turns towards IEM Kraków 2026, taking place from January 28th to February 6th. With a return to LAN competitions, it will be interesting to see whether FaZe Clan can rediscover its Budapest Major form or if its early BLAST Bounty exit signals the beginning of another turbulent season.
