BLAST Slam VI is a major Dota 2 tournament taking place in early 2026, featuring 12 top teams, a $1,000,000 prize pool, and a hybrid online-to-LAN format that culminates in Malta. Organized by BLAST, the event runs from February 3 to February 15 and brings together some of the strongest rosters in competitive Dota 2 at the start of the new season.
With a unique structure that mixes online group stages and offline playoffs, BLAST Slam VI plays a key role in setting the tone for the 2026 Dota 2 competitive calendar. Below, we break down the tournament format, prize pool distribution, confirmed teams, and the favorites to watch.
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BLAST Slam VI Dates, Location & Format
What’s unique about BLAST Slam VI is that it will be both an online and offline competition. Organized by BLAST, the tournament will be held between February 3-15 and will have a $1,000,000 prize pool. There will be 12 teams in total that will meet online and then in Malta for the Playoffs. The format is interesting, and we will address it in the subsequent paragraph.
BLAST Slam VI Format Breakdown: Group Stage, Play-In & Playoffs
BLAST Slam VI Malta will have three distinct phases:
- Group Stage
- Last Chance Playoffs & Play-In
- Playoffs
The Group Stage will feature all 12 teams, playing in a Bo1 round-robin format. Taking place between February 3-5, the top 2 teams will advance to the semifinals. Squads that finish between 3rd and 8th place will proceed to the Play-In, whereas the remaining teams will head over to the Last Chance Playoffs.
Speaking of the devil, the Play-In and Last Chance Playoffs will have Bo3 matches. The winner will go to the Quarterfinals, whereas all remaining teams will be eliminated. These matches will be between February 6 and 8.
Lastly, we have the Playoffs, which will be between February 13-16. We will have a single-elimination bracket and Bo5 matches.
The prize pool will be $1,000,000, and $750,000 of that will be awarded as Prize Money. The remaining $250,000 will be awarded as Team Earnings and will be spread among the participants as follows:
- 1st Place – $300,000 + $100,000 Team earnings
- 2nd Place – $150,000 + $50,000 Team earnings
- 3rd-4th Place – $60,000 + $20,000 Team earnings
- 5th-6th Place – $35,000 + $15,000 Team earnings
- 7th-10th Place – $22,500 + $6,250 Team earnings
- 11th-12th Place – $10,000 + $2,500 Team earnings
BLAST Slam VI Teams List (All Confirmed Participants)
We will have a total of 12 Dota 2 teams that will take part in the BLAST Slam VI: Malta. We already covered them in our previous article, but here is a list of every name we will see in action in a few days
- OG
- Team Spirit
- GamerLegion
- Xtreme Gaming
- Natus Vincere
- REKONIX
- Tundra Esports
- Team Falcons
- HEROIC
- Team Yandex
- Team Liquid
- MOUZ
When it comes to favorites, Team Falcons and Tundra esports are the two big names to keep an eye on. Both were among the most dominating squads in 2025, and we think they’ll continue to be a factor in 2026 as well. Interesting, bookies also believe that Team Spirit is among the favorites as well, but after the team parted ways with Silent after 5 years, we believe it will have issues.
In terms of underdogs, REKONIX is definitely the first name that comes to mind. The SEA powerhouse will have its first big tournament, and Dota 2 fans will be eager to see it in action.
Final Thoughts on BLAST Slam VI Malta
BLAST Slam VI: Malta will definitely be a tournament that’s worth watching, so expect to see it on all popular live streaming platforms. The event will be available on Kick, YouTube and Twitch, and people can watch it in English and Russian. Feel free to follow us if you want to keep track of everything.
