BLAST Slam VIII Qualifiers: Schedule, Standings, Results

BLAST Slam VIII is the eighth event in the BLAST Slam Dota 2 series, taking place from September 29 to October 11, 2026, with the online stage followed by LAN Finals at BLAST Arena Studios in Malta. The first week of the tournament will be played online, while the decisive six-team playoff stage will take place on LAN from October 8 to 11. The total prize pool for the championship is $750,000. BLAST Slam VIII will feature sixteen teams, expanding the field from twelve participants in the previous edition. The lineup consists of eleven direct invites, one Americas direct invite, and four teams from regional qualifiers: two from Europe, one from China, and one from Southeast Asia.

The tournament format has also been significantly updated. During the first week, the sixteen teams will be divided into four GSL groups of four teams, with all matches played in Bo3 format. The winners of each group will advance to the Seeding Matches, where the two winners will secure direct spots in the Upper Bracket Semifinals of the LAN stage, while the two losing teams will move to the Quarterfinals. The four second-place teams will enter the Last Chance stage, with the two winners claiming the remaining Quarterfinal spots. The other teams will be eliminated.

The final six teams will then compete in a Double Elimination playoff bracket at BLAST Arena Studios in Malta. The top two seeds will start from the Upper Bracket Semifinals, while the remaining four teams will begin in the Quarterfinals. All playoff matches except the Grand Final will be played in Bo3, with the championship match being a Bo5.

As a result, BLAST Slam VIII is set to become one of the major events of the autumn portion of the 2026 Dota 2 season, featuring an expanded sixteen-team field, a revamped online stage built entirely around Bo3 series, and a four-day LAN finale in Malta.

RES Unchained 5: BLAST SLAM VIII Europe Closed Qualifier Format

• Single-elimination bracket

• All matches are Bo3

• Two teams qualify to the main tournament

RES Unchained 5: BLAST SLAM VIII Europe Closed Qualifier bracket

RES Unchained 5: BLAST SLAM VIII Europe Closed Qualifier Schedule and Results

August 29, 2026

August 30, 2026

BLAST SLAM VIII China Closed Qualifier Format

• Single-elimination bracket

• All matches are Bo3

• One team qualifies to the main tournament

BLAST SLAM VIII China Closed Qualifier Qualifier bracket

BLAST SLAM VIII China Closed Qualifier Qualifier Schedule and Results

August 29, 2026

August 30, 2026

RES Unchained 5: BLAST SLAM VIII Southeast Asia Closed Qualifier Format

• Single-elimination bracket

• All matches are Bo3

• One team qualifies to the main tournament

RES Unchained 5: BLAST SLAM VIII Southeast Asia Closed Qualifier bracket

RES Unchained 5: BLAST SLAM VIII Southeast Asia Closed Qualifier Schedule and Results

August 29, 2026

August 30, 2026