G2 Esports win €50k BLAST Valorant Invitational: Final placements

Connor Bennett
BLAST Valorant ignition series

BLAST have expanded outside of CS:GO and hosted their own Valorant Ignition Series event with some of the best teams in the world taking part. Here’s everything you need to know about it. 

With the competitive Valorant scene taking shape as organizations from across the world build star-studded rosters, tournament organizers have also been trying to make headway with their own events. 

Now, BLAST has followed in the footsteps of Flashpoint, going from being a typically Counter-Strike: Global Offensive-only event host to adding Valorant to their skillset.

They have hosted their own European-based event, with a €50,000 prize pool, as four of the continent’s best teams battled on the near-future Earth to prove they’re best around. Here’s what you need to know. 

Crowd and stage at a BLAST CSGO event
BLAST have hosted some of the biggest CS:GO events, but are now pursuing Valorant as a new venture.

G2 Esports win their sixth straight

BLAST’s Valorant Ignition Series event got underway on September 11 and ended on September 13 – with every minute being broadcast live on Twitch. 

G2, arguably the world’s best team, proved why they were considered the favorites coming in, as they dominated their way to the Grand Final with sweep after sweep. But, despite FunPlus Phoenix being one of their 2-0 victims, the team managed to push G2 into an absurd Game 5. This was the first time a team has taken two maps off of G2 and the first time in this tournament that a team had taken just one map against them.

The game was incredibly back-and-forth, with G2 needing some huge performances and the clutch factor to secure the win. The final map was fittingly as close as the series, going 13-11 in favor of G2. Notably, G2’s Ardis ‘ardiis’ Svarenieks was crowned tournament MVP.

BLAST VALORANT Ignition Series: Results

G2 Esports, FunPlus Phoenix, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and Team Liquid all battled in BLAST’s event.

The format of the event consisted of a double-elimination best-of-three bracket, so it wasn’t a case of scooping up a lucky win in a best-of-one. Teams needed to be consistent in order to win… especially in the Grand Final, where it became a best-of-five and truly tested the two best’s mental fortitudes.

Here’s how all three days of pure Valorant action played out.

Below is the full schedule for all three days of Ignition Series matches.

Friday, September 11

Round Match PST EST BST CEST
Upper Bracket Semifinals G2 Esports 2-0 Ninjas in Pyjamas 6:30 AM 9:30 AM 2:30 PM 3:30 PM
FunPlus Phoenix 2-0 Team Liquid 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:30 PM

Saturday, September 12

Round Match PST EST BST CEST
Lower Semifinal Ninjas in Pyjamas 0-2 Team Liquid 6:30 AM 9:30 AM 2:30 PM 3:30 PM
Upper Bracket Final G2 Esports 2-0 FunPlus Phoenix 10:30 AM 1:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:30 PM

Sunday, September 13

Round Match PST EST BST CEST
Lower Bracket Final Team Liquid 0-2 FunPlus Phoenix 7:30 AM 8:30 AM 1:30 PM 2:30 PM
Grand Final G2 Esports 3-2 FunPlus Phoenix 9:30 AM 12:30 PM 5:30 PM 6:30 PM

BLAST Valorant Ignition Series: Final placements

After three days of the four best European lineups going toe-to-toe, here’s how each team finished with their respective prize money.

Placing Team Prize money (EUR)
1st G2 Esports €25,000
2nd FunPlus Phoenix €12.500
3rd Team Liquid €7,500
4th Ninjas in Pyjamas €5,000