diff --git a/internal/render/common/styles.go b/internal/render/common/styles.go
index eefb1c31..9e663dee 100644
--- a/internal/render/common/styles.go
+++ b/internal/render/common/styles.go
@@ -147,10 +147,22 @@ var (
 		style.SetZIndex(-99),
 	)
 
-
 	FooterWrapperLayout = style.Style{
 		Direction:  style.DirectionHorizontal,
 		AlignItems: style.AlignItemsCenter,
 		Gap:        5,
 	}
 )
+
+func CardsBackgroundStyleForTheme(theme Theme) style.StyleOptions {
+	blur := DefaultBackgroundBlur
+	if theme.BackgroundBlur != nil {
+		blur = *theme.BackgroundBlur
+	}
+	return style.NewStyle(
+		style.SetBorderRadius(BorderRadius2XL),
+		style.SetBlur(blur),
+		style.SetPosition(style.PositionAbsolute),
+		style.SetZIndex(-99),
+	)
+}
diff --git a/internal/render/common/theme.go b/internal/render/common/theme.go
index 73eea5a4..4e620e09 100644
--- a/internal/render/common/theme.go
+++ b/internal/render/common/theme.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ type Theme struct {
 	// Optional background image bundled with the theme.
 	// Used as the default background when no explicit background is provided.
 	Background image.Image
+	// BackgroundBlur overrides the default blur applied to the background image
+	// at render time. nil = use DefaultBackgroundBlur, non-nil = use this value.
+	BackgroundBlur *float64
 
 	// BackgroundOverlay is rendered behind cards, on top of the background image.
 	// seed is derived from the account ID for deterministic patterns.
diff --git a/internal/stats/render/period/v2/cards.go b/internal/stats/render/period/v2/cards.go
index 57cccbf9..f2c54505 100644
--- a/internal/stats/render/period/v2/cards.go
+++ b/internal/stats/render/period/v2/cards.go
@@ -128,11 +128,12 @@ func generateCards(stats fetch.AccountStatsOverPeriod, cards period.Cards, _ []m
 			opts.Background = common.AddWN8BackgroundBranding(opts.Background, stats.RegularBattles.Vehicles, seed)
 		}
 
+		bgStyle := common.CardsBackgroundStyleForTheme(theme)
 		var layers []*facepaint.Block
-		layers = append(layers, facepaint.MustNewImageContent(common.CardsBackgroundStyle, opts.Background))
+		layers = append(layers, facepaint.MustNewImageContent(bgStyle, opts.Background))
 		if theme.BackgroundOverlay != nil {
 			if overlay := theme.BackgroundOverlay(opts.Background.Bounds(), seed); overlay != nil {
-				layers = append(layers, facepaint.MustNewImageContent(common.CardsBackgroundStyle, overlay))
+				layers = append(layers, facepaint.MustNewImageContent(bgStyle, overlay))
 			}
 		}
 		layers = append(layers, cardsFrame)
diff --git a/internal/stats/render/session/v2/cards.go b/internal/stats/render/session/v2/cards.go
index 1e08a443..6572bf6e 100644
--- a/internal/stats/render/session/v2/cards.go
+++ b/internal/stats/render/session/v2/cards.go
@@ -110,11 +110,12 @@ func generateCards(sessionData, careerData fetch.AccountStatsOverPeriod, cards s
 			opts.Background = common.AddWN8BackgroundBranding(opts.Background, sessionData.RegularBattles.Vehicles, seed)
 		}
 
+		bgStyle := common.CardsBackgroundStyleForTheme(theme)
 		var layers []*facepaint.Block
-		layers = append(layers, facepaint.MustNewImageContent(common.CardsBackgroundStyle, opts.Background))
+		layers = append(layers, facepaint.MustNewImageContent(bgStyle, opts.Background))
 		if theme.BackgroundOverlay != nil {
 			if overlay := theme.BackgroundOverlay(opts.Background.Bounds(), seed); overlay != nil {
-				layers = append(layers, facepaint.MustNewImageContent(common.CardsBackgroundStyle, overlay))
+				layers = append(layers, facepaint.MustNewImageContent(bgStyle, overlay))
 			}
 		}
 		layers = append(layers, cardsFrame)
diff --git a/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets.go b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets.go
index 3612e543..41dd9f62 100644
--- a/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets.go
+++ b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets.go
@@ -8,11 +8,9 @@ import (
 	_ "image/png"
 	"path"
 	"strings"
-
-	"github.com/nao1215/imaging"
 )
 
-//go:embed assets/background.jpg
+//go:embed assets/background_blurred.jpg
 var backgroundBytes []byte
 
 //go:embed assets/petals/processed
@@ -29,7 +27,6 @@ func init() {
 	if err != nil {
 		panic("spring2026: failed to decode background: " + err.Error())
 	}
-	backgroundImage = imaging.Blur(backgroundImage, 3)
 	backgroundBytes = nil
 
 	entries, err := petalsFS.ReadDir("assets/petals/processed")
diff --git a/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/.gitignore b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e97ba92c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+background_blurred.jpg
diff --git a/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/depthmap.png b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/depthmap.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e1586d15
Binary files /dev/null and b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/depthmap.png differ
diff --git a/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/generate.go b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/generate.go
index 35212e04..3c583194 100644
--- a/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/generate.go
+++ b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/assets/generate.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"image"
 	"image/color"
+	"image/jpeg"
 	"image/png"
 	"math"
 	"os"
@@ -37,6 +38,11 @@ var tints = []tintPreset{
 }
 
 func main() {
+	generatePetals()
+	generateBlurredBackground()
+}
+
+func generatePetals() {
 	sourceDir := filepath.Join("petals", "source")
 	outDir := filepath.Join("petals", "processed")
 
@@ -103,6 +109,70 @@ func main() {
 	fmt.Printf("generated %d processed petal images\n", idx)
 }
 
+func generateBlurredBackground() {
+	const (
+		minSigma = 0.5
+		maxSigma = 8.0
+		levels   = 8
+		quality  = 95
+	)
+
+	bg, err := imaging.Open("background.jpg")
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("failed to open background.jpg: %v", err))
+	}
+
+	dm, err := imaging.Open("depthmap.png")
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("failed to open depthmap.png: %v", err))
+	}
+
+	w, h := bg.Bounds().Dx(), bg.Bounds().Dy()
+	dm = imaging.Resize(dm, w, h, imaging.Linear)
+
+	stack := make([]*image.NRGBA, levels)
+	for i := range levels {
+		sigma := minSigma + (maxSigma-minSigma)*float64(i)/float64(levels-1)
+		stack[i] = imaging.Blur(bg, sigma)
+		fmt.Printf("  blur level %d/%d (sigma=%.1f)\n", i+1, levels, sigma)
+	}
+
+	out := image.NewNRGBA(image.Rect(0, 0, w, h))
+	for y := range h {
+		for x := range w {
+			r, _, _, _ := dm.At(x, y).RGBA()
+			depth := float64(r>>8) / 255.0 // 1.0 = close (bright), 0.0 = far (dark)
+
+			// close → low index (less blur), far → high index (more blur)
+			idx := (1.0 - depth) * float64(levels-1)
+			lo := int(math.Floor(idx))
+			hi := int(math.Ceil(idx))
+			lo = max(lo, 0)
+			hi = min(hi, levels-1)
+			frac := idx - float64(lo)
+
+			c1 := stack[lo].NRGBAAt(x, y)
+			c2 := stack[hi].NRGBAAt(x, y)
+			out.SetNRGBA(x, y, color.NRGBA{
+				R: uint8(lerp(float64(c1.R), float64(c2.R), frac)),
+				G: uint8(lerp(float64(c1.G), float64(c2.G), frac)),
+				B: uint8(lerp(float64(c1.B), float64(c2.B), frac)),
+				A: 255,
+			})
+		}
+	}
+
+	f, err := os.Create("background_blurred.jpg")
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	if err := jpeg.Encode(f, out, &jpeg.Options{Quality: quality}); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	fmt.Println("generated depth-blurred background")
+}
+
 // trimAlpha crops transparent borders, keeping at least minPad pixels of padding.
 func trimAlpha(img *image.NRGBA, minPad int) *image.NRGBA {
 	b := img.Bounds()
diff --git a/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/theme.go b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/theme.go
index 8517119a..089d1853 100644
--- a/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/theme.go
+++ b/internal/stats/render/themes/spring2026/theme.go
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ var (
 )
 
 func Theme() common.Theme {
+	noBlur := 0.0
 	return common.Theme{
-		Background: backgroundImage,
+		Background:     backgroundImage,
+		BackgroundBlur: &noBlur,
 		Frame: style.NewStyle(func(s *style.Style) {
 			s.PaddingLeft = 15
 			s.PaddingRight = 15