The MongolZ knock Spirit out as BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 playoff bracket is set

BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 has produced one of its first major surprises, with The MongolZ eliminating Spirit in the race for the final playoff berth and completing the tournament bracket ahead of the arena stage in Rotterdam.

BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026 is running from March 18 to March 29 with 16 teams competing for a total prize pool of $1.1 million. The event began with the group stage before moving to the arena portion in Rotterdam from March 27 to March 29.

One of the biggest storylines of the group stage came in the decisive lower-bracket match, where The MongolZ defeated Spirit 2–0 to claim the final place in the playoffs. HLTV reported that the Mongolian side won Nuke 13–11 and then recovered from a 1–7 deficit on Overpass to close the map 13–9, with Ayush “mzinho” Batbold playing a decisive role in the upset.

That result ended Spirit’s campaign before the arena stage and gave the tournament a more unpredictable playoff field. It also reinforced The MongolZ’s status as one of the most dangerous momentum teams in the event, arriving in Rotterdam after eliminating one of Counter-Strike’s most closely watched lineups. This assessment is an inference based on the match result and playoff qualification.

With the group stage now complete, the playoff bracket has been finalized. The quarter-finals will feature Aurora against The MongolZ and Falcons against PARIVISION. Vitality and Natus Vincere advanced directly to the semi-finals as group winners, with Vitality set to face the winner of Aurora versus The MongolZ and NAVI waiting for the winner of Falcons versus PARIVISION.

The setup gives BLAST Open Rotterdam a strong final stretch, combining an upset storyline, an open lower side of the bracket and two top seeds entering the arena fresh from the group stage. If The MongolZ carry their Spirit win into Rotterdam, the playoffs could quickly turn from a routine title race into one of the more volatile CS2 finishes of the month. This final point is an inference based on the bracket and recent results.