TI Champions Head Home as Undefeated TEAM VISION Reach Upper Bracket Final: The International 2026 Day Recap

The first grand final contenders have emerged at Dota 2’s premier tournament of the year, The International 2026 in Shanghai. Following an intense match day where all four series ended in 2-1 scores, TEAM VISION and Team Yandex advanced to the upper bracket final, while defending world champions Team Falcons were sensationally eliminated after losing to Team Liquid in a knockout match.

The winner of the TEAM VISION vs. Team Yandex matchup will secure a direct spot in the grand final and a shot at the ultimate trophy, the Aegis of Champions (Aegis of Champions).

Undefeated TEAM VISION and Team Yandex’s Marathon Run

The upper bracket semifinals delivered intense battles that went down to the deciding third maps:

• TEAM VISION vs. Team Spirit (2-1): The TEAM VISION (PARIVISION) roster defeated two-time world champions Team Spirit for the second time at this TI. The team remains the only undefeated squad in series play at the tournament, extending their professional win streak to 19 consecutive matches. Spirit dropped to the lower bracket but still have a shot at the trophy.
• Team Yandex vs. Nigma Galaxy (2-1): An intense three-hour battle began with a 74-minute opening map in favor of Nigma, but Team Yandex took control of the series afterward (52:15 and 38:23). The team is on an impressive tournament run: after surviving the elimination round against LGD, Yandex swept Liquid and has now stopped Nigma.

Champions Fall: Falcons Eliminated

The first elimination matches took place in the lower bracket. The defending champions of last year’s The International 2025, Team Falcons, lost 1-2 to Team Liquid and finished in 7th–8th place. Liquid secured a spot in the top 6.

In the parallel matchup, Iron Wing fell 1-2 to BoomBoys and was also eliminated from the tournament.

Final Stage and Prize Pool

According to tournament portal BLAST, the dynamic prize pool for The International 2026 has exceeded $3.14 million, with over $1.33 million going to the eventual champion.

Six of the world’s best teams remain in the competition for the final weekend:

1. Upper Bracket Final (BO3): TEAM VISION vs. Team Yandex;
2. Lower Bracket Quarterfinals and Semifinals (BO3): Team Spirit, Nigma Galaxy, Team Liquid, and BoomBoys.

The winner of the Aegis of Champions will be decided in a Best-of-5 grand final.