How to Watch BLAST Slam VIII 2026

BLAST Slam VIII 2026 streams free on the league's official Twitch channel — no subscription needed.

Sixteen teams start in four groups. Group winners play best-of-three seeding matches for direct upper-bracket semifinal spots, group runners-up play a Last Chance round for upper-bracket quarterfinal places, and six teams contest a double-elimination playoff on October 8-11 that is best-of-three until a best-of-five grand final.

BLAST Slam is BLAST's tier-one Dota 2 tournament series, played several times a year with a mix of invited teams and regional qualifiers. Editions have alternated between BLAST's own studios in Copenhagen and Malta and arena events abroad, including Singapore and Chengdu. Tundra Esports set the early standard by winning all four Slams played in 2025, from Slam II in Copenhagen through Slam V in Chengdu, before Team Liquid and Team Yandex took the two 2026 editions held in Malta and Copenhagen.

BLAST Slam VIII is the first tier-one event of the 2026-27 Dota 2 season and returns to BLAST Arena Studios in Malta from September 29 to October 11. The field expands to 16 teams, 12 invited and four from regional qualifiers, while the prize pool is $750,000, down from the $1,000,000 offered at Slams III through VII. The champion takes home $270,000.

The event is an early read on the new season's rosters. Team Spirit arrive as reigning International champions and make their season debut with changes, as Collapse and coach Miposhka are taking breaks. PARIVISION, the TI 2026 runners-up, keep their long-standing lineup, and Team Yandex enter as the defending Slam champions after their win in Copenhagen in June. Elsewhere in the bracket, Topson returns to competition with a reformed OG.