What are the semi-final matchups for BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 2 Finals?

FaZe will face Spirit at 12:30 on August 1, and Astralis will take on MOUZ at 15:30 on the same day, according to HLTV.

Why did Astralis choose MOUZ over Spirit in the draft?

Astralis coach Filip 'NEO' Kubski explained that the team largely preferred the MOUZ matchup, though IGL Rasmus 'HooXi' Nielsen reportedly felt confident against Spirit. Timing was also a factor, with NEO noting the Spirit game would have been early and it was already late for the team.

Which team was considered the favorite heading into the BLAST Bounty Finals?

Spirit were described as firm favorites heading into the LAN finals, being by far the highest-ranked team among the final four, as reported by HLTV.

FaZe Draw Spirit as Astralis Picks MOUZ at BLAST Bounty Semis

Astralis Had a Choice. They Took MOUZ.

The draft show for BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 2 Finals wrapped up on July 31, and the bracket is now locked in. As the higher seed of the two unseeded sides, Astralis held the pick, with Spirit or MOUZ waiting across the table. They went with MOUZ, which in turn handed FaZe a considerably harder road.

According to HLTV, Astralis coach Filip “NEO” Kubski shed some light on the internal deliberations after the show. Not everyone was fully aligned. The team’s IGL, Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen, apparently had a different read on things. “He feels confident against Spirit,” NEO said. “Also there is a huge bounty and VRS, right? The problem is they have an early game and it’s pretty late now, so that complicates things.”

So timing played at least a small part in keeping the bracket from getting even messier. HooXi felt he could take down Spirit. Astralis went the other way anyway.

The Bracket and What It Means

The semi-final schedule, as reported by HLTV, is as follows:

FaZe vs. Spirit, August 1 at 12:30
Astralis vs. MOUZ, August 1 at 15:30

Spirit entered the LAN finals as heavy favorites, and nothing about the path the other three teams took to get here changes that. HLTV noted Spirit are by far the highest-ranked team remaining in the field, sitting at number three in the world with a roster featuring Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov, and Boris “magixx” Vorobiev among others.

FaZe, ranked 13th, brings a familiar cast of names. David “frozen” Cernansky and Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken anchor the lineup, with Jakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski, Jason “JBOEN” Boe Nielsen, and Niclas “enkay J” Krumhorn filling out the five. Getting past Spirit would be a serious statement.

Astralis, ranked 15th, lines up with HooXi, Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard, Victor “Staehr” Staehr, Love “phzy” Smidebrant, and Gytis “ryu” Glusauskas. NEO coaches the side. MOUZ, sitting at number 10 in the world, is no pushover either. Adam “torzsi” Torsas and Lotan “Spinx” Giladi give them real firepower.

Why the Draft Moment Matters

The drama of a draft show lives or dies on exactly this kind of decision. Astralis had a real conversation about it, internally at least. HooXi wanted Spirit. The team said MOUZ. That gap in thinking is worth watching during the match itself, because confidence and buy-in at the IGL level can shape how a team performs under pressure at a LAN.

For FaZe, the assignment is clear and unforgiving. Spirit did not end up at third in the world by accident, and FaZe will need a nearly perfect showing to advance. The bounty and VRS implications NEO mentioned are real incentives too, meaning there is more riding on each result than just a spot in the final.

Both matches land on the same day, back to back, so whoever survives the afternoon will have little time to breathe before the final. The better rested team, whichever one that turns out to be, may have a quiet edge when the trophy match arrives.