Dota 2
CS2
Get rdy: Competitive guide for January 23rd-29th
The weekend is almost here and that usually means events and competitive matches are in full swing. With this season's packed schedule it is easy to miss something, so we've compiled a weekly planning guide to keep track of what is going on.
Counter-Strike 2
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
The BLAST Bounty series has returned to kick off the year. Eight teams survived the qualifiers and have landed a spot for the main event taking place in Malta from January 22nd-25th competing for the largest slice of the $452,500 prize pool.
Games start today with the first two semi-finals, and then a further two on Friday. Note Teams are re-seeded between rounds based on the opponent they beat in the previous round, then the lower-seeded teams choose their opponents from the higher-seeded teams.
Be sure to check out our takes on these first matchups.
Dota 2
Competitive Dota 2 is in a brief reset phase. The marquee events don’t start until the very end of the month, which makes January a month of qualifiers with less spectacle, but more pressure for some.
Qualifiers
PGL Wallachia Season 7
PGL Wallachia Season 7 is set for March 5-15th with 16 teams competing at the PGL Studio in Bucharest, Romania for a share of the $1,000,000 prize pool.
- WEU Open Qualifiers 1 - January 21-22
- EEU Open Qualifiers 1 - January 21-22
- SEA Open Qualifiers 1 - January 21-22
- Americas Open Qualifiers 1 - January 21-22
- WEU Open Qualifiers 2 - January 23-24
- EEU Open Qualifiers 2 - January 23-24
- SEA Open Qualifiers 2 - January 23-24
- Americas Open Qualifiers 2 - January 23-24
- WEU Closed Qualifiers - January 26-29
- EEU Closed Qualifiers - January 26-29
- SEA Closed Qualifiers - January 26-29
- Americas Closed Qualifiers - January 26-29
FISSURE Universe 8 Play-in
FISSURE Universe 8 is an online event being held in Europe between January 29-February 1st that pits eight teams against each other in a double elimination format with $250,000 stakes.
Group Stage (January 21 - January 28)
- Four GSL groups of four teams each
- All matches are Bo3
- Top two teams from each group advance to the playoffs
- Remaining teams are eliminated
Playoffs (January 27 - January 28)
- Single-elimination bracket
- All matches are Bo3
- Two teams qualify to the main tournament
Nigma Galaxy, Zero Tenacity, 1W Team, AVULUS, and L1GA Team have already been confirmed for the Play-in. Seven more teams will be invited to this stage, and four will earn their way in through two open qualifiers
Regional Affairs
Local and regional fans have some treats on the menu this week.
South America
CCT Season 2: South America Series 2 will take place between January 21-31st. A total of 12 teams will compete online in a modified GSL format/Double Elimination bracket for a slice of the $20,000USD prize. Peru Rejects and Amaru Gaming are sure to pique interest.
Europe
EPL Championship Season 1 is an online event featuring 16 teams from Western and Eastern Europe fighting for the lion's share of the $7,500 prize. It is a double elimination bracket series that spans from January 9-27th. Monkey Business featuring Sébastien "Ceb" Debs, Johan "N0tail" Sundstein, and Topias "Topson" Taavitsainen are currently sitting in the lower bracket quarterfinals after they lost to Zero Tenacity 2:1.