BLAST are making their final stop for the year in Abu Dhabi for the Premier World Final, where the best teams from throughout the year go head to head in an ultimate showdown.
With the recent roster changes, the event is set to catch the eye of esports fanatics in hopes of witnessing their favorite team achieve greatness in the Etihad Arena.
Though the participating team’s list is loaded with heavy hitters, who will emerge as the champion and rise to the top?
Here are our contenders for the BLAST Premier World Final 2023:
Team Vitality
Credit: BLASTTaking down the undisputed titan of CS2 so far in FaZe Clan at the time is enough to put them on the map as a contender for the title. Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, who raised some eyebrows during IEM Sydney, managed to get back to his old habits of topping the leaderboards and giving teams a run for their money with his big green gun.
Without his rival Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev, the French AWPer is expected to have a field trip in Abu Dhabi, especially with raw aimers like Lotan “Spinx” Giladi and Shahar “flameZ” Shushan behind him.
When talking about Vitality, we must give credit where credit is due. After all, what’s a team without a leader, and Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, who’s slowly but surely making a name for himself as one of the best IGLs in the world of Counter-Strike.
With all the firepower this team has and the great leadership structure in place, a back-to-back trophy lift is only a few series away.
FaZe Clan
Credit: ValveFaZe Clan have dominated the CS2 era so far, with three consecutive titles – winning IEM Sydney, CS Asia and Thunderpick World Championships. In addition to a top-two finish at the latest BLAST Premier Fall Final, establishing them as viable contenders for the title.
Following numerous reports about Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken leaving, the Canadian star has officially been replaced by the young veteran David “frozen” ÄerÅanský from MOUZ.
The team’s firepower is expected to stay strong, given frozen’s impressive performances. With him reuniting with his ex-teammates Finn “karrigan” Andersen and Robin “ropz” Kool, it should make their teamwork and synergy click quickly to stand their ground in the Etihad Arena.
FaZe’s strategic lineup and the addition of frozen position them to maintain their stronghold as the world’s top team. With Helvijs “broky” Saukants solidifying himself as one of the sharpest AWPers in CS2, the aim will be for a home run and trophy lift in Abu Dhabi.
Except for these two teams, it’s improbable to consider another contender given the current state of the other teams. ENCE, under new leadership, is still finding their balance; NAVI, without “s1mple,” is on shaky ground, and Heroic’s roster remains a question mark as they play with three stand-ins.
While Cloud9 and G2 could be the event’s surprises, Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov’s team is noticeably flawed, lacking the qualities of a top contender.
The Samurais are another feather in the wind with their inconsistency, considering their disastrous showing at CCT 2023 Online Finals 5, where they suffered a humiliating exit, losing to Guild Eagles and Aurora.
Despite their initial victories, their upcoming matches at the Etihad Arena, where the stakes are high, might reveal vulnerabilities that could lead to their downfall.
