Global esports tournament organiser BLAST Premier has partnered with ADGaming to bring the BLAST Premier World Final tournament to Abu Dhabi. The deal is part of a three-year deal between ADGaming and Blast Premier.

The BLAST Premier World Final, which will be held between December 14 and December 18, 2022, will be the first time a BLAST CS:GO tournament will be held in the UAE. The tournament will be held at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in front of a live audience.

The World Final is BLAST’s biggest event and the culmination of two CS:GO seasons. The tournament has a total prize pool of US$1 million and has eight of the best CS:GO teams in the world fight it out for the crown. The event in Abu Dhabi will be 2022’s third prominent CS:GO LAN event following the BLAST Spring Finals in Lisbon and Fall finals, which will be held in Copenhagen in November 2022.

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Only two teams have qualified for the tournament so far, with FaZe Clan being the first ones to book their tickets after winning the PGL Antwerp Major and the ESL Pro League Season 15. NAVI are the other confirmed team, who secured their place after winning the Spring Finals in Lisbon. 

Charlotte Kenny, Managing Director of BLAST Premier, said:

“As part of our host cities process, we are always on the lookout for leading locations and arenas all around the world, Abu Dhabi is the perfect location to follow on from this month’s highly successful Spring Final in Lisbon and November’s Fall Final in Copenhagen. The World Final will follow in the footsteps of popular sports such as UFC, F1 and NBA in hosting major events in Abu Dhabi and the remarkable Etihad Arena provides the perfect stage for our World Final event.

“Esports and the gaming sectors are growing at a rapid pace in the Middle East with hundreds of thousands of people engaged with gaming, as either players or spectators. BLAST is committed to bringing our best-in-class shows to all corners of the globe and we are proud to be working with AD Gaming to provide the BLAST Premier World Final in Abu Dhabi.” 

James Hartt, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Abu Dhabi Gaming, commented:

“BLAST is truly a world leader in the esports industry, so their commitment to Abu Dhabi perfectly demonstrates the scale and impact of the Emirate’s growing gaming and esports sector, both in terms of the industry and the player community. Crucially, it also shows a deep trust in the growth and untapped potential that Abu Dhabi has to offer. 

“Through the incredibly exciting CS:GO World Final, this latest partnership augments Abu Dhabi’s status as a global centre for the creative industries and will drive the long-term development of this strategically important sector.

“We look forward to welcoming the best teams, players and fans to Abu Dhabi later this year in what will be a historic occasion for everyone involved.” 

Taghrid Alsaeed, Executive Director of Group Communications and Marketing Strategy at Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and attractions, added:

“We are proud to host the BLAST Premier World Final on Yas Island at Etihad Arena. Yas Island has become a top destination for events and having this event as well is a testament to achieving our vision of positioning the island as a top global destination for entertainment and leisure. We look forward to welcoming fans to this exciting tournament.“

The decision to go ahead with the tournament in Abu Dhabi is part of BLAST’s on-going commitment to reaching out to new audiences and providing them with the finest esports experiences.